A spine-tingling day devoted to kids

Mathis Winkler

NEWPORT BEACH -- Where can kids meet “McGruff the Crime Dog” and have

their spines tested at the same time?

Well, the chiropractic offices of John McNamara this Saturday, for

starters. The 34-year-old father of soon-to-be three -- Daniel is 3 years

old, Maureen is 1, and a third is on the way -- is hosting this year’s

Kids Day America.

The health, safety and environmental awareness day is put on by more

than 1,200 chiropractic offices around the country and the world.

McNamara, who opened his Newport Beach practice about a year ago, said

the event will give him an opportunity to thank his patients.

“I feel like I have to put into the community in order to get back,”

he said. “I’m doing this for that reason.”

Preventing back problems later in life also motivates McNamara to

screen the youngsters.

“The majority of back problems that we have as adults begin when we’re

kids,” he said. “If kids had their spines screened and problems were

detected, a lot of people wouldn’t have problems [later on in life.]”

Although McNamara has screened his own children in the past, he said

he plans to do it again at the event.

“They are developing,” he said. “As the trunk grows, so does the

tree.”

Apart from spine screenings, kids also will get special child

identification cards from the Newport Beach Police Department, which will

also offer free fingerprinting for children.

The fire department will bring a fire engine that kids can explore,

and a falcon and an owl are also scheduled to attend.

There will be snacks and balloons for kids as well as other giveaways

and prize drawings.

Proceeds from donations will benefit D.A.R.E., the Drug Abuse

Resistance Education program, McNamara said.

FYI

Kids Day America will take place at John McNamara’s office at 4121

Westerly Place, Suite 116, Newport Beach. The event begins at noon

Saturday and will end at 3 p.m.