A partnership

among Ford Blue Oval Certified dealers, actress Jamie Lee Curtis and the

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the Commitment to

Kids program is a nationwide child identification effort to keep kids

safe.

"Our status

as a Blue Oval Certified dealership means that we are personally committed

to our customers both in and out of the vehicle," said Mike Fitzpatrick

of Mike Fitzpatrick Ford-Lincoln-Mercury. "Our Commitment to

Kids program extends that personal commitment beyond our customers to

all parents and children."

June 9, from

10 a.m. to 3 p.m., parents can bring their children to the dealership

to receive free child safety identification kits. A free photograph will

be taken of each child for the ID booklet and instructions will be provided

for parents to complete their children's physical description information.

In addition,

police officers from Coweta County Sheriff's Department and Newnan Police

Department will be on hand to finger print the children for the ID booklets.

"Through

the Commitment to Kids program, Ford's Blue Oval Certified dealers are

demonstrating a personal commitment to the safety of their customers and

communities in which they do business," said Jim O'Connor, president

of Ford Division and Ford Motor Company vice president.

"If we

can help keep safe or locate even one missing child, then our program

will have been a tremendous success."

More than 750,000

children were reported missing last year ­ more than 2,100 each day

­ and 2,896 cases of online child exploitation were prosecuted in

1999, up 700 from the previous year.

In the event

a child is reported missing, the ID kit and a set of fingerprints can

help ensure a child's safety. Parents keep their children's completed

ID kits and are urged to repeat the identification process every six months

to maintain updated information.

Blue Oval Certified

dealers must meet customer satisfaction criteria and demonstrate documented

service processes that deliver timely and convenient customer service.

Mike Fitzpatrick

Ford-Lincoln-Mercury is at 238 Bullsboro Dr., Newnan, and is open 9 a.m.

to 9 p.m. Phone 770-502-3673 .