For immediate release
May 7, 2002

Ohio Kids Card celebrates first birthday with party

COLUMBUS - Like a young child, the Ohio Kids Card program (OKC), launched by Governor Bob Taft, has grown by leaps and bounds over the past year. In celebration of a successful first year, the Ohio Kids Card, along with COSI Columbus, will be hosting a first anniversary party from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 11, in the Atrium at COSI Columbus, 333 W. Broad St.

At the celebration, parents are invited to bring their children to participate in a number of "hands-on" activities sponsored by COSI. Special attendees will include Brutus Buckeye, Shawn Ireland from WNCI's The Morning Zoo, animals from the Columbus Zoo and many other surprises.

Admission is free for the anniversary celebration; however, OKC families are invited to visit other exhibits at COSI that day. By showing their Ohio Kids Card, they will receive 50 percent off admission for one child younger than 6, with the purchase of one adult admission.

In an effort to help Ohio's families with young children, as well as Ohio's businesses, Taft announced the Ohio Kids Card program in April 2001. Administered by the Ohio Department of Health, OKC is modeled after the highly successful Golden Buckeye Card. The OKC offers discounts to all Ohio families with children under the age of 6. The card is free and may be obtained at 750 public libraries throughout the state.

One year ago, OKC began with approximately 1,700 businesses offering discounts or services. Today, OKC has partnered with more than 2,500 businesses across the state whose services and discounts appeal to a wide range of Ohio families. Among the offers are 20 percent off at A Novel Idea bookstore, a free fruit of the month from Kroger and 15 percent off children's clothing at Lazarus, the first major department store to join OKC.

"It's great," said Columbus resident and mother of two Angela Robertson. "I needed to buy winter coats for my kids and I saved a bundle by using the Ohio Kids Card at Lazarus."

Robertson represents just one of the 22,927 families, including more than 28,000 children, enrolled in OKC as of April 2002. In its infancy, OKC served 3,404 families with more than 4,000 children, according to Jean Myer, administrator of the Help Me Grow program, whose toll-free number, 1-800-755-GROW, appears on the back of each OKC.

For more information, visit the OKC website at www.ohiokidscard.org.

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Contact: Ohio Department of Health - Office of Public Affairs (614) 644-8562

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Media contact: Ohio Department of Health, Office of Public Affairs: 614-644-8562.