LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) - It could possibly be the most popular summer program in the region and sign up is about to start.
Thousands of children have gone through the Lima Noon Optimist Summer Academy at Safety City and the 2025 sessions are set. Sign up is online only and the more than 300 spaces fill up quickly. The academy is for children 5 to 9 years old and is free. The weeklong program will be full of activities where they will learn all kinds safety tips.
The weeklong program will be full of activities where they will learn all kinds safety tips.
"Throughout the week, we talk about what is a good and bad person, how to identify the tricks they may use to try to get you to come with them," said Eric Mericle, Safety City officer. "We teach them a little self defense in case somebody would try to grab them, we talk about bike safety, outdoor safety, inside safety. We also have the survival life house where they do the storm safety, the tornado safety, and the fire safety, and the Fire Department Inspector obviously does an amazing job at that."
Online signup is Friday, March 28th starting at 7 am on the Safety City, Lima Police, and the Lima Optimist Facebook pages. The academies are weekdays June through July. You can choose from a morning or afternoon session and if full there is a waiting list you can get on.
