Date:3/6/00
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Brent Smith, Rider Hall resident assistant, (319) 222-4797
Vicki Grimes, UNI Office of Public Relations, (319) 273-2761
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — Eleven students living in Rider Hall at the University of Northern Iowa helped parents in the Cedar Valley area by providing a free child's car seat check-up at John Deery Lincoln-Mercury, 6823 University Ave., Cedar Falls, during National SAFE KIDS Week late last month (Feb. 19). The dealership closed its service department during the inspection to offer the community service.
Brent Smith, the son of Ken and Debbie Smith of Shenandoah, saw a story on “Dateline NBC” concerning child safety seats and contacted the regional coordinator. As a resident assistant at Rider Hall and an avid participant in community service programs, he is always trying to brainstorm ideas for areas in which the residents can volunteer. According to Smith, Rider Hall residents have a long-standing history as community volunteers.
____(Name)____ of ____(Hometown)____, a son of ___(Parents' names/address)___, took part in the safety check, along with Smith.
Smith estimates that over 200 people showed up for the event. Also in attendance were Jon Crews, the mayor of Cedar Falls, representatives from the Cedar Falls fire and police departments and members of the Cedar Falls city council. During the inspection checks, some families received new car seats for their young children.
According to information from the National SAFE KIDS Campaign, nearly 1,800 children die each year as motor vehicle passengers, and more than 305,000 are injured. They also estimate that 200 lives could be saved and 20,000 injuries could be prevented annually if all children age 4 and under were properly restrained.
Note: to obtain a complete list of the students, please contact the Office of Public Relations at (319)273-2761.
###
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Robert Byrnes, administrative assistant, UNI School of Music, (319) 273-2028
Tamara Sanikidze, award-winning pianist and UNI graduate student, (319) 222-5848
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa—Pianist Tamara Sanikidze, a graduate student at the University of Northern Iowa School of Music, was the Grand Prize winner, the College Piano First Prize winner and was awarded a subscription concert performance with the Des Moines Symphony in the College Division of the Des Moines Symphony Alliance 25th Anniversary Young Artists Competition.
The event was Feb. 25-27 at the Urbandale Performing Arts Center. As Grand Prize winner, Sanikidze was awarded a full scholarship to the Summer Aspen Music School. For the College Piano First Prize, she received $1,000.
Her subscription concert performance with the Des Moines Symphony, awarded at the discretion of Des Moines Symphony Music Director Joseph Giunta, will take place on Saturday, March 11, 7 p.m., and Sunday, March 12, 3 p.m., at the Des Moines Civic Center. She will perform Tchaikovsky's “Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor.” At UNI, Sanikidze studies with Howard Aibel, professor of music.
Sanikidze is a native of Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia. She is a graduate from the Z. Paliashvili Tbilisi Music Gimnazy, 1993, and from the Tbilisi State Conservatory, 1998.
She has received awards at several international competitions. Sanikidze was a first prize winner at the International Piano Competition in Cantu, Italy; the first prize at the National Piano Competition in Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia; and received the top prize in two categories at the International Piano Competition in Raguze, Italy in 1996. Also in 1996, Sanikidze won first prize in two categories-solo and concerto-at the Ibla Grand Prize International Competition in Italy. She was invited by Aibel, who was a member of the international jury at the Ibla competition, to continue her studies at the UNI School of Music.
###
Back to the news release directory.