Safyre’s Angels hoping to give Safety Village proposal a boost

After receiving more than 1 million Christmas cards from around the world, 8-year-old arson survivor Safyre Terry wants to give back to the community, and one of her first projects is gathering support for the construction of a Safety Village.

A Safety Village is a non-profit organization that works to educate children and their families about fire, bicycle and pedestrian safety, as well as other life-saving skills.

The educational facility is literally a makeshift village with dozens of scaled-to-size buildings and streets with crosswalks, streetlights and railroad crossings that create a comfortable, realistic setting for children to learn about safety.

Patrick Carroll, a building inspector for the town of Rotterdam, has been working for the past several years to get a Safety Village built in the Capital Region since he first saw one in Canada in the late 1990s.

Currently only one safety village exists in the state, in Jamestown, but there are more than 20 throughout the country.

This week Safyre endorsed the project and is going to help it become a reality.

Safyre is the only survivor of an arson fire on May 2, 2013 at 438 Hulett St. in Schenectady.

In early December, through social media, the world became aware of Safyre’s story and strength. She has received a worldwide outpouring of support with cards, toys, gift cards, money and other gifts.

On Tuesday, Safyre’s non-profit charitable organization, Safyre’s Angels Network, endorsed the Safety Village of the Capital Region through a Facebook post.

The post asked followers to like the Safety Village of the Capital Region Inc. Facebook page to “learn more about how you can help build the village.”

With over 155,000 followers combined on her Facebook pages, Safyre Schenectady’s Super Survivor and Safyre’s Angels, people all over the world watch and follow what the inspiring girl is up to.

Liz Dolder, Safyre’s aunt and caregiver, is the founder of Safyre’s Angels Network, and wrote a letter to officially endorse the project.

“As a foundation integral in aiding children who have overcome physical and emotional injuries as a result of fire-related events … Safyre’s Angels Network considers your regional involvement to offer programming geared toward the prevention of injuries and fire prevention especially for children, a worthwhile and often overlooked endeavor,” Dolder’s letter reads.

Since the fall, Carroll has had his eye on the Mariaville Elementary School, located at 9210 Mariaville Road in Duanesburg.

The elementary school was part of the Schalmont Central School District and closed at the end of the 2010-2011 school year. The building has been for sale ever since.

Over the past several months, Carroll and board members of the safety village project have been working to raise the funds to purchase the school building, which is being sold for $250,000.

The entire safety village project, from start to finish, is estimated to cost $675,000.

The Schalmont district has given those behind the Safety Village of the Capital Region until Feb. 15, when the school board will discuss how close the group is to purchasing the building.

The Safety Village of the Capital Region had about $85,000, or one-third of the building’s price, as of Wednesday, Carroll said.

“We have several potential supporters, but no others are confirmed yet,” Carroll said. “Working together with Safyre and her organization, we hope to change that.”

To donate to the safety village effort, visit www.gofundme.com/3hcz8qkk, or checks can be made out and mailed to Safety Village of the Capital Region, Attn: Safyre, 93 W. Campbell Road. PO Box 6140 Schenectady, New York, 12306.