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Belle Terre Elementary School K-Kids raise $550 toward Safe Haven Baby Box

The Kiwanis K-Kids presented a check to the Knights of Columbus Council 10514.

By Brent Woronoff
| 2:00 a.m. April 19, 2024

Belle Terre Elementary School's K-Kids president Mia Kopcikova presents a check for $550 toward a Safe Haven Baby Box to Frank Consentino of the Flagler Palm Coast Kiwanis and the Knights of Columbus Council 10514. Also pictured are Grand Knight Bob Conochalla and Knight Bryant Perszyk, Flagler Palm Coast Kiwanis representative and Knight Mike McElroy, BTES Principal Mrs. Jessica DeFord, Assistant Principals Tim Ruddy and Sara Ashman. BTES Teacher Advisor Mrs. Nicole Massey, Assistant Mason Blair, Flagler Palm Coast Kiwanis Advisor Tony Andrade and the BTES K-Kids member students. Courtesy photo

Palm Coast Observer
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Belle Terre Elementary School's Kiwanis K-Kids presented a check of $550 toward a Safe Haven Baby Box to Frank Consentino of the Knights of Columbus Council 10514 and Flagler Palm Coast Kiwanis.

Knights of Columbus and Kiwanis members, BTES administrators and BTES K-Kids student members attended the presentation.

The Knights of Columbus Council 10514 has raised nearly all of the $20,000 needed for the Safe Haven Baby Box which will be installed at Palm Coast Fire Station 25 pending City Council approval, Consentino said. There will also be installation and annual maintenance and inspection costs.

"This is going to be an ongoing project," Consentino said.

Safe Haven Baby Boxes are installed outside of first-responder facilities where parents can anonymously and safely leave an infant they are unable or unwilling to care for. The boxes are climate controlled. Once the door to the box is shut a sensor alerts EMTs or other medical personnel to retrieve the baby.

"It's amazing what these K-Kids did," Consentio said. "It warmed my heart."

Each of Flagler County's three Knights of Columbus councils and the Knights of Columbus district assembly contributed to the project, Consentino said.