Happy Halloween, you goblins, ghouls, witches, and spooks! It’s that time of year again when kids and adults alike can dress up and roam the streets as their favorite heroes, frights, or princesses. While kids are eager to show off their outfits and fill their pillowcases with sugary treasures, it’s crucial to be aware of the potential dangers on Halloween night. PRACTICE STREET SAFETY Make sure your kids understand basic road safety. According to Safe Kids Worldwide, “Children are more likely to be struck by a vehicle and killed during Halloween than any other day of the year.” Before heading out for some good old-fashioned trick-or-treating, take the time to go over basic safety tips. Teach kids to look both ways before crossing, use crosswalks and traffic signals, cross streets on the corners, and never run across the street. Making eye contact with drivers before walking in front of their cars is also a good way to make sure the driver knows the child is there. CHOOSE SMART COSTUMES Halloween wouldn’t be Halloween without costumes! They should be fun, but you can also make them safer by following a few simple guidelines. Add reflective tape to candy bags and costumes and wear light colors to stand out in the dark. Buying or making the right-sized costumes is also important. If they’re too large, they create a tripping hazard, and if they’re too tight, they can restrict movement. If your child wears a mask, make sure they can see out of it properly. MAKE A PLAN Before heading out to trick or treat, create a plan and discuss it with every member of your family. This ensures that if someone in your group wanders off, they’ll know where to look for you or where to go. In case you’re separated, label your child’s costume with your name, address, and phone number. If your children are old enough to trick or treat without adults, make sure that their cellphones are charged and on them at all times, and schedule regular check-ins. HAVE A FUN AND SAFE HALLOWEEN! EVEN THE MOST FRIGHTENING GHOULS NEED TO BE CAREFUL
JANNYN’S CONNECTIONS TO HER COMMUNITY
Meeting Needs in Gainesville
You might remember Jannyn from her introduction a few newsletters back. Jannyn is from the Gainesville area, and with the addition of our new location there, we knew we’d need rock-star employees to be champions for the community. Jannyn’s connections to the community and the knowledge and skills she brings to the team make her the perfect fit. “I’ve lived in the area and know a lot of people there,” Jannyn says. “The community is growing, and I’m really enjoying watching it grow.” With that growth, she knows firsthand that there’s a need for more localized legal services. “I have friends whose parents want to meet with an attorney, but they may not have access to transportation, and it’s not easy for them to drive 45 minutes to see one. With our firm’s location in Gainesville, they won’t have to worry about going all the way to Lawrenceville to seek legal help,” she says. Jannyn points out the lack of Spanish-speaking attorneys in the area — a missing link given that it’s a primary language for the growing community there. “Our community has a lot of Hispanic people in it, and I’ve never seen any Spanish-speaking lawyers in the area. It will definitely benefit from have a Spanish-speaking law firm in the area and Spanish-speaking attorneys,” says Jannyn. Jannyn points out that when people don’t have access to lawyers who can communicate with them, it makes it easier for them to be taken advantage of. Especially when it comes to immigration issues, a language gap can make it harder for people to know what steps they need to take to protect their status. “They might end up spending money on an attorney who doesn’t do anything for them, get in trouble with the USCIS, or have to pay a fine,” Jannyn explains. With personal experience petitioning for family members, Jannyn can relate to the situation many of our clients find themselves in. She appreciates that Keren and Jorge take the time to share their knowledge through Facebook. “I really like what they do with Facebook Live, this newsletter, and other social media to inform clients of immigration and personal injury issues.”
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