Kelowna

A local Rotary group wants to make high school students more reflective.

The Lake Country Rotary Club has donated 900 reflective armbands to students at the local high school to help keep them safe when walking at night.

The move comes following the death of 15-year-old Josie Evans last month.

Evans was walking home from George Elliot Secondary on January 13 when she was hit by a truck.

RCMP say poor visibility was a factor in the crash.

LC Rotary President Bob Rymarchuk says the Rotary club thought providing students with reflective armbands was a simple thing they could do that might make a difference right away.

“The school and the community have started looking at long term solutions such as better lighting in some areas, but this was something we felt we could achieve in a hurry. The armbands will be handed out to every student at the high school within a few days,” says Rymarchuk.

He says the $2,700 needed to purchase the 900 armbands came from the club's general funds.

“Every club has a fund for local projects to use when they see a need. We saw a need. We have no illusions that every kid will wear their armband all the time when walking, but some will. And it will help make them more visible to drivers. That's all we want.”

Link: Friends remember Lake Country teen