October 20, 2006
Press Release

Bedford, VA – Sheriff Mike Brown has been invited by Delegate William Fralin to speak at a press conference to officially announce the rollout of the Internet Safety Educational program, as a result of Fralin’s House Bill 58 from last Session.

Monday, October 23, 2006, 2:30 pm

House Room 1 – Patrick Henry Building, Richmond

Brown and his ICAC Task Force, Operation Blue Ridge Thunder, assisted Delegate Fralin who spearheaded the effort to make internet safety education mandatory in the VA school system, recognize the importance of educating our children on the dangers that lurk online, beginning with kindergarten on through high school.

HB58 was passed and signed by Governor Kaine making Internet Safety education mandatory beginning July 2006. The VA Department of Education was inundated with calls from vendors trying to sell their products into the VA school system and numerous of programs were reviewed by DOE staff members. The unanimous vote was for the NetSmartz program, developed by the Department of Justice and the Center for Missing and Exploited Children. But, how would the school system fund such a mammoth task?

With the assistance of the Safe Surfin’ Foundation, a non-profit group of volunteers that produce and distribute Internet Safety programs, the entire state of VA has been supplied, free of charge, the NetSmartz Internet Safety presentation for grades K through 12.

The Safe Surfin’ Foundation (SSF) established in 2000, is the educational “arm” of Blue Ridge Thunder and has enjoyed the media attention since acquiring their national spokes person, basketball superstar Shaquille O’Neal.

Contact: Robin Sundquist, Admin Officer 540-586-7715
Safe Surfin’ Foundation www.safesurfincentral.org