It is a somber reminder that we live in a vastly different world from the one in which our parents and grandparents grew up.

Tuesday is National Missing Children's Day, a day set aside to draw attention to the roughly 800,000 children who are reported missing in the United States every year.

Locally, the Lawrence County Sheriff's Office, Lawrence County Domestic Violence Task Force, King's Daughters Medical Center, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources' Division of Watercraft and the River Cities Safe Kids Coalition will host Missing Children's Day activities at the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Burlington from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday.

Parents may obtain information about keeping their children safe and may obtain a children's ID kit. The kit contains a card and ink so parents may record their child's fingerprints. It also includes information that may be useful in locating a child if he or she is ever lost or abducted.

In addition, KDMC representatives will provide information about and free inspections of child car safety seats. Refreshments will also be available.

Thousands missing each year

"When you look at the statistics, its phenomenal. Some 800,000 children in this country are reported missing annually," Lawrence County Domestic Violence Task Force Center Director Ruthanne Delong said. "We felt like something needed to be done in our community, that we needed to recognize it."

According to information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children,

58,200 of the children reported missing in 1999 were abducted by non-family members, 115 children were the victims of the most serious, long-term non family abductions called "stereotypical kidnappings" and 203,900 children were the victims of family abductions.

While abductions by non-family members make up only

a small percentage of missing child cases each year, Delong said children taken under these circumstances are at the greatest risk of being killed.

"Seventy-four percent of kids in stereotypical kidnappings are murdered within the first three hours after being taken," Delong said. "That's why it is critical to have those fingerprints and pictures (of the child)."

An ounce of prevention

Authorities recommend parents start with the basics when they are concerned about child safety. That means knowing who has regular or frequent access

to or possible contact with your child.

"Know who your neighbors are, know who the new people are. It's OK to ask questions," Lawrence County Sheriff Tim Sexton said. " Know who the friends are that your children play with."

That includes knowing if sexual predators live in your neighborhood or in the area around your child's school.

Sexton said Lawrence County has 40 registered sexual offenders. Both his office and the Buckeye State Sheriff's Association have information available about sexual offenders.

Sexton said keeping your child safe from sexual predators also includes keeping a close eye on their time on the computer.

"The biggest thing, know what your kids are doing on the computer," Sexton said. "It happens daily, where a kid meets someone on the Internet and they run off, leave home (to meet them). It's very unfortunate, but parents need to know who their kids are talking to and what they're doing on the computer."

Other suggestions for keeping children safe, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children:

€Teach your children their full name, address and telephone number.

€Teach your children how to make a long distance call (both directly to you using the area code and by dialing "0" for operator).

€Know the routes your child takes to and from school and other activities.

€Be involved in your child's activities by volunteering at school, clubs and sporting events.

€Participate in a neighborhood watch program.

€Before leaving your child in the care of a day-care, preschool, baby-sitter or youth organization, check their references and qualifications. Ask if they conduct pre-employment background checks.

€Teach your child what to do if approached by anyone. Common approaches are offering a ride, gifts or candy, asking the child look for a lost pet or claiming that the child's parent has asked them to bring the child home because of an emergency.

€Listen to your child; don't disregard their fears. Instead, let them know you take their fears and concerns seriously.