NBU's SAFEhaven programs are volunteer employee projects of NBU designed to promote the health and vitality of the community and the safety and comfort of its residents. NBU employees have contributed over 2,600 hours of their time to SAFEhaven programs since 2001.

In addition to their roles as NBU community service program volunteers, our employees are actively involved in numerous civic, service, church and youth organizations. We consider it our privilege to give back to this community in ways that enhance the quality of life for everyone. If you have questions about any of the SAFEhaven programs, you are welcome to call (830) 629-8486. The following programs will be part of our community service efforts this year:

• SAFEhaven In Schools— For 25 years, our employees have been teaching area schoolchildren throughout New Braunfels that NBU trucks and employees can provide them with access to emergency services. Each of our trucks is equipped with SAFEhaven identification, enabling any child in need to ask an NBU employee to call for medical or public safety assistance. SAFEhaven provides children—and adults—an alternative to asking for help from people they don’t know.
  
  NBU’s SAFEhaven in Schools mascot, Bucky the Bucket Truck, visits New Braunfels area schools to share the message of safety education and to invite children, in grades kindergarten through third, to participate in the annual SAFEhaven coloring book contest.
  
  SAFEhaven coloring books are passed out to each child in conjunction with the school program, which they can take home and share what they have learned with their parents. Parents, in turn, are encouraged to take the opportunity to discuss the topic of safety at home, in school and in the community with their child.
  
  Inside each book is an entry for the SAFEhaven “Draw Bucky” Contest. It is a chance for each child to create and color their interpretation of Bucky the Bucket Truck for a chance to win a fabulous prize! Click here to see the SAFEhaven 2009 Draw Bucky Contest Winners.
   

• NBU Kinderschuhe 5K Run/Walk—NBU employees hosted the Kinderschuhe 5K Run/Walk on Saturday, March 13 as a way to offer a healthy, family-oriented activity that enabled participants to also aid others in our community who are in need. All registration fees for the event went to Communities in Schools in order for them to purchase shoes for low income school children throughout the year…and this year the NBU Kinderschuhe 5K raised $8,300 for the children! To see a complete list of the race results, go to www.nbrunclub.com/results/2010/KinderschuheResults2010.pdf.
   
• Adopt-A-Highway— DID YOU KNOW…that 90% of the litter on Texas highways is removed by paid contractors—not by convicts as many folks assume? Volunteers clean 8,000 miles or 10% of Texas' state-maintained roads and save taxpayers approximately $2.5 million a year! With that in mind, SAFEhaven volunteers adopted a two mile section of FM 306 where the NBU Service Center is located and have committed to cleaning it at least four times during the year. It's their way of helping to keep Texas—and New Braunfels—beautiful!
  
   
• NBU Community Shred Day—NBU will host the second Community Shred Day on Saturday, April 17 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the NBU Main Office in Downtown New Braunfels. This year's event will take place in the Main Office back parking lot off of Comal Avenue. Each NBU account holder will be able to bring up to two copy paper size boxes of documents to the Community Shred Day and NBU employee volunteers will be on hand to help unload their items, provide information about identity theft protection and register them to win one of three personal shredders! For more information, visit www.nbushredday.com or call (830) 629-8486.
   
• SAFEhaven Bike Rodeo—The SAFEhaven Bike Rodeo is scheduled to be held on Thursday, May 6 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Walnut Springs Elementary. Kids ages 5 through 12 are invited to bring their bikes to ride through three courses that are designed by a national bicycle safety expert to safely simulate what young riders face on the streets. It’s a great way to get kids on the right road to healthy exercise in a fun, safe environment!
  
  SAFEhaven volunteers will conduct free bike safety inspections, make sure that every child’s bike helmet fits properly, register bikes for the New Braunfels Police Department, and give a free bike helmet to the first 50 riders. One lucky participant will also win a certificate to purchase a brand new bike! There will also be plenty of goodies, entertainment, and fun for kids and adults of all ages! For more information, visit www.nbubikerodeo.com or call (830) 629-8486.