BURRILLVILLE – With Halloween night fast approaching, the Rhode Island Department of Health has partnered with award-winning, Burrillville-based cartoonist and child safety advocate Jim Weicherding to remind kids how to celebrate safely this year.
While some communities have cancelled Halloween-related events due to COVID-19, trick or treating has been deemed relatively safe by RIDOH Director James McDonald, as long as precautions are followed.
And Weicherding is helping to get that message out, with new radio station promotions, now airing hourly on the new I-105.5 Kent County’s Classic Rock Radio Station as well as other DiPonti Communications Radio Stations heard across Rhode Island and nearby Connecticut and Massachusetts.
With help from his trademarked Itty Bitty SUPER DUPERS Cartoon Characters, Weicherding is telling kids to stay outdoors as much as possible Halloween night, or “Take It Outside.” Children are also advised to wear protective face masks and stay six feet apart.
McDonald himself has said he plans to put candy out on the front porch for trick or treaters and the radio promos remind kids to, “Please Take Just One.”
“Kids should get a big laugh,” Weicherding said of the message, delivered by characters famous from his safety-minded coloring cartoons, found at police stations, hospitals, schools and other locations across the state.
The promo, heard below will air through Halloween night.
Weicherding is also creating a Kids Covid Prevention Halloween Safety Coloring Cartoon for the RIDOH with tips provided by McDonald. The series will be published on NRI NOW, and parents are invited to print the cartoons and use them to speak with their children about Halloween safety.