WILMINGTON, DE – April 26, 2006 – Coughs, colds and stomach bugs have run rampant once again this year. Most adults make antibacterial gel their constant companion to avoid catching the next big round of sniffles and sneezes - but if you have a little one at home, sometimes, that’s not as easy as it sounds.

Our Red Cross Community Preparedness team has recently identified that the youngsters in our families require some extra attention regarding health education. Their official response: “Scrubby Bear!”

Scrubby Bear is an educational program designed to instruct 3-8 year olds about how germs are transmitted and instruct them on important skills to reduce transmission.

“We take for granted that children know what we mean when we tell them to wash their hands and you know what, sometimes, they just don’t,” says Holly Newton, Director of Community Preparedness at the American Red Cross of the Delmarva Peninsula, “We are excited to be able to extend our mission to this age group of students. They respond well to the message and take the lessons beyond the classroom.”

If you schedule a Scrubby Bear class for your group, a Red Cross representative will attend your class and provide a captivating, youth-oriented program designed to help reduce the risk of Infectious Diarrhea, Hepatitis A and Colds.

The program materials are fun and inexpensive utilizing techniques like songs and coloring activities that engage youngsters and reinforce healthy practices. “Their favorite is the Clean Hands Club membership card,” says instructor, Susan WillemsendeBock, an AmeriCorps VISTA working with the Red Cross. “The kids take it seriously and remember the lesson.”

The Red Cross Community Preparedness team has big plans for Scrubby Bear. “It’s one of our most popular programs,” says Newton, “Our current effort is to gain additional volunteers to teach this 30 minute program, as well as, directly educate teachers so that they may then add this course to their curriculum.”