FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – June 3, 2002

Free fingerprinting services offered at weekend Print-a-thon

Child Protection Education of America, a national missing children nonprofit organization based in Tampa, will offer free fingerprinting cards for kids and safety information for adults this weekend at their CPEA Print-a-thon.

Saturn of Brandon, Ed Morse Cadillac and Star 95.7 are sponsoring the event at the car dealerships’ location just west of the entrance to Brandon TownCenter off Causeway Boulevard. The event will run Saturday, June 8, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, June 9, from noon to 5 p.m.

Drawings for gift certificates worth $20 or more to area restaurants will be held hourly. Star 95.7 will be on-hand for the first two hours of the event to help with promotion.

CPEA is a nonprofit missing children organization started by three individuals with a combined 30 years of experience in the field. The organization’s focus is two-fold. On a day-to-day basis, CPEA assists parents and law enforcement with the national distribution of pictures of the missing. It also works to better educate both children and parents about safety through a variety of programs, including fingerprinting events.

Using state-of-the-art digital technology originally developed for the Secret Service, CPEA offers a child’s photograph and all ten fingerprints on a high-stock card along with safety brochures and a checklist of other important information parents should keep on hand in case they ever need it.

Child Protection Education of America expects to be able to offer cards to over 250 children during this two-day event. Anyone can stop by to get free safety information and enter the drawing for prizes.

Anyone interested in sponsoring the event on a per child basis (with a maximum donation based off 250 children) can call 813-758-1876. Media demonstrations of the digital fingerprinting equipment are available on request.

For more information about CPEA, call 1-866-USA-CHILD or see our Web site at www.find-missing-children.org.

Contact:
Don Smith
Director of Public Relations
Phone: 813-626-3001
Cell: 813-758-1876