LAUREL — For Adrianne Sickle, Mondays are predictable.
“It's pretty busy. My daughter goes to school in Billings and then (my other daughter) goes to pre-school at Our Savior,” said Sickle, who lives in Laurel.
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Between her job and parenting duties, Sickle spends much of her day shuttling children between schools. Every ride, however, carries a quiet sense of caution.
“Y’know, bad things happen all the time. Anything could happen in the blink of an eye," said Sickle.
That awareness is part of why she buckles her daughter into a car seat she did not have to pay for—thanks to a unique community initiative that transforms recycled cans into safety gear.
The initiative is led by Mandi Crable, an EMT and former teacher who now volunteers with Safe Kids Yellowstone County as a certified car seat technician.
Crable, who spent 15 years in the classroom, found a new way to educate—this time, on the safest ways to transport children.
“A lot of times, you’re involved in the worst day of a person’s life,” said Crable, reflecting on her experiences as an EMT.
Now, she is working with parents to prevent those days from happening.
“Both with my experience as a mom and the accidents that I’ve responded to, I have seen just a dramatic increase in injuries when kids aren’t restrained properly,” said Crable.
Through community can donations and support from Pacific Steel, Crable collects recyclables to fund car seats for families in need. The program ensures that parents like Sickle can focus on the routines of daily life—without sacrificing safety.
“Now I feel 100% safe with my daughter being in the car and knowing that it's installed correctly,” said Sickle.
