Press

August 22, 2006
AMBERWATCH FOUNDATION KICKS-OFF CAMPAIGN TO PROTECT SAN DIEGO CHILDREN FROM PREDATORS
Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians and Barona Band of Mission Indians Donate $20,000 to Provide 800 At Risk Children With AmberWatches

August 22, 2006 – Two San Diego County Indian Tribes have joined forces to arm San Diego area children with a new device to protect them from predators. The Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians and the Barona Band of Mission Indians today donated $20,000 to supply 800 at-risk local children with AmberWatches and support the nationwide AmberWatch "Be Safe" program. Children wearing an AmberWatch® can call attention to themselves at the touch of a button when threatened or scared. The AmberWatch's trademarked high-decibel alert signal and bright flashing LED lights call immediate attention to a child threatened with abduction or abuse.

Approximately seventy five youth from the Copley Family YMCA attended the kick off event which took place at the San Diego Sheriff’s Department on Tuesday, August 22nd at 3 p.m.  Each of the kids received an AmberWatch®. 

Viejas and Barona Tribal leaders were joined at today’s event by members of the San Diego Chargers, actor Wade Williams who portrays a law enforcement officer in the TV series "Prison Break", Sheriff William B. Kolender, District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis, and AmberWatch Foundation Executive Director Keith Jarrett.  
                         
"The Viejas Band of Kumeyaay is committed to fostering an environment in which our children can growmentally, physically and spiritually strong.  It is the youth of today that will be the leaders of tomorrow," said Viejas Tribal Councilmember Alan Barrett. "Viejas shares that commitment with the AmberWatch Foundation by supporting efforts to make the AmberWatches available to the community and the AmberWatch coloring books available to schools nationwide."

"The number of children abducted and molested in San Diego every year is higher than we could have ever imagined and Barona wants to do something to help stop these horrendous crimes from occurring in our communities," said Councilwoman Bonnie LaChappa of the Barona Band of Mission Indians.  "Our Tribe is proud to support AmberWatch and help arm the youth of San Diego with these watches.  They are extremely effective tools that can help keep our local children from becoming victims.  We encourage everyone to join us in helping AmberWatch reach its goal of distributing 50,000 watches nationwide by the end of 2006."

"With the dangers facing children today, we need all the tools we can get in the continuing effort to protect our children.  The Amber Watch is a tool that empowers a child who may be in danger," said San Diego District Attorney Bonnie M. Dumanis today.  "The Viejas and Barona Tribes have shown once again that they are good friends to law enforcement and deeply concerned about the safety of children in our community."

"Those of us who are public safety leaders in San Diego County have an unprecedented commitment to work together to keep our children out of harms way.  We are grateful to the AmberWatch Foundation for their efforts in developing programs that protect our children, and we are also grateful to our sponsors---Viejas and Barona Tribes, for making today possible.  These watches will help keep the most vulnerable members of our communities, our children, safe," said Sheriff William B. Kolender.

Each year, the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians and the Barona Band of Mission Indians make philanthropic donations to hundreds of local community groups, schools, service and civic organizations, as well as charity events sponsored by other commercial businesses. For more information, visit www.viejasbandofkumeyaay.org and www.barona.com.

The AmberWatch Foundation is a 501© (3) charity (Tax ID no. 34-2020410) dedicated to the prevention of child abduction and molestation.  Through its "Be Safe!" Education Program, the Foundation’s mission is to (by the end of 2008) educate 25 million elementary-aged children, and their parents, on how to identify potential endangerment scenarios and stay out of the hands of abductors and predators.  For more information, log onto www.AmberWatchFoundation.org.