The LATCH Manual is a comprehensive tome published every two years by Safe Ride News. It covers all things vehicle and child restraint, and while not a substitute for a vehicle manual or child restraint manual, it is an excellent companion and extraordinary resource for Children’s Restraint Systems Technicians everywhere. This year we Canadians organized a bulk order, and with a little international cooperation from our American counterpart Wendy, we then proceeded to distribute them from network to network. Read all about “LATCHY’s” journey.
See the epic journey on a map!
Scroll down to read a poem (for real – we take this very seriously).
Our very helpful American CPST friend Wendy kindly picked up our manuals for us from Safe Ride News in Edmonds, WA, and then delivered them to the Victoria Clipper ferry terminal.
On the Canadian side of things, in Victoria, BC, the manuals were transferred into Vanessa’s van.
Manuals then traveled north to Duncan for a Car Seat Techs vs the Dodge Grand Caravan Showdown of 2015 (link to that to come!).
This was spotted en route:
Valerie took possession and went further north to Nanaimo. For those following The Incredible Journey of the 2015 LATCH manuals, the 8 Vancouver manuals are toasty warm inside, cuddling in bed with her. Whoever gets the one on the top – that’s her bedtime story.
The Vancouver/Lower Mainland/Fraser Valley manuals hopped on board BC Ferries with Val’s helpful husband and disembarked at Horseshoe Bay, mocking the rest of frozen Canada with pictures of flowers and greenery.
Hand off in Vancouver got the batch of manuals to Elaine for further distribution. Elaine’s garden is NOT buried under 6′ of snow.
Meanwhile back in Nanaimo, Val took LATCHY to Costco for a snack and some light reading. Val, do NOT get gravy on that manual.
Where Val spends most of her days, also known as LATCH Manual Central.
Laura in Duncan also settled in for a snack while reading.
Back at her store, Val was getting everyone else’s ready to ship. 
First to ship – Wendy and friends in Toronto, Ontario, with side trips planned to Guelph, Oakville, and beyond. The night supervisor at the post office thinks Val is nuts.
Hand off, and looking east toward Mission, B.C.
This is Mike. He had no qualms about being photographed with the packages destined for Jen and Marianne in Ontario. Thanks, Mike!
Deanna (Ontario) on the left. Shalan (PEI) on the right. Mike came back to get them all!
Some packages were smaller. Techs in Canada are sometimes all by themselves.
Val’s manual is keeping his friends company, waiting for Mike to come back. Katherine and friends in the Maritimes, and Gillian in Ontario. And yes, that IS a headless mannequin in that car seat.
Stacey and Janice get theirs in the lower mainland outside of Vancouver.
LATCHY catching up on Facebook at Patricia’s house in the lower mainland.
LATCHY does not 5-step.
Box of manuals en route from Toronto to Oakville, ON. Buckle up for safety!
6 manuals arrive in the frozen wasteland of Barrie, ON for dispersal locally and north. One had a special autograph page. And gravy. See picture with poutine. Included in the box was a special gift – was it for me or the resident 4 year old?
Another special gift. Who KNOWS what will be inside when the box is opened?
A bit of a stroll down memory lane in Alberta, showing LATCHY where things used to be in the car seat world. We’ve come a long way baby!
Another snowy delivery, to London, ON.
Chilling on a nursing pillow. (LATCH Manual….breastfeeding…get it?). And many more special deliveries in London, ON courtesy of Marianne.
Safe arrival (and transport home) into Ottawa.
LATCHY made it to PEI ! This packaging comes with special notes from the west coast.
LATCHY has arrived in Halifax! Hanging out with his older siblings (2013 and 2011 editions). PS – don’t forget to email Darlene.
Passed off from Katherine in Halifax to Kayle for distribution to Antigonish, New Glasgow, and Truro (and massage school!).
This one is bound for Newfoundland. It probably won’t actually travel north of the Arctic circle…but maybe!
Welcome to Kiddie Proofers in Whitby, new friend!
LATCHY made it to Windsor, ON…complete with a dog bum photo bomb.
This LATCH Manual now lives in a NICU in the Maritimes.
Alainna from Guelph, ON picked the right mailbox and snapped a quick selfie when she went to pick up from Wendy in Oakville.
It’s really hard what to say is happening in this photo, but that kid has some style.
We love our LATCH Manuals. Happy Valentine’s Day! What says “I love you” more than a glass of wine, a LATCH Manual, and a partner not asking why you have acquired a new car seat?
Hand off in Kingston, ON. What better place than in the car seat aisle, and at a clinic?
Hand off in the Lower Mainland (BC), and Barrie, ON.
Clearly this LATCHY inhabits Vancouver Island with that attire.
Overlapping seat belts. Sigh. On the way home to Lindsay, ON.
So much snow to negotiate but LATCHY made it home to Berwick, NS.
Trying out baby’s new ride in PEI:
Hand off in BC, and LATCHY’s first road side stop.
This LATCHY is bound for Winnipeg. Better wear a coat.
Some are still in transit…who knows what adventures they’ll have and what they will contribute to seat checks everywhere! THANK YOU to everyone coast to coast who participated in our distribution project!
Poem for the LATCH Manual
Ours manuals have traveled
So far and so wide,
Passed hand to hand,
On quite the ride.
Safe Ride News gave them life
And a bright coat of RED,
Retrieved by friend Wendy,
Who put them to bed.
Loaded up on the Clipper
The border they crossed.
An epic journey ahead
We hoped none would get lost.
Retrieved in Victoria,
Packed up for a drive,
Driven north up to Duncan to
Hand out out six, maybe five
Passed the rest on to Valerie,
Kit n’ Caboodle’s shipping queen.
Busted out her tape gun,
In Nanaimo, where it’s green.
The flowers are blooming
On Canada’s west coast
LATCHY posed for a photo
Lack of snow they do boast.
Crossed the Strait then by ferry,
Lower mainland does beckon
Fraser Valley techs are awaiting
Their arrival, we reckon.
Back in Nanaimo
Val wowed and amazed
Tape, boxes, and messages,
Some might think she’s crazed.
UPS and the post office
Young truck driver Mike,
The boxes and envelopes,
Oh yes, we do like.
Our manuals would arrive
By truck and by plane,
Stalking our mailboxes,
In snow and in rain.
Some went to Alberta,
Another to the ‘Peg,
Lots more to Ontario
Where there were many more legs.
To Windsor, and Barrie,
To Guelph and Toronto,
The SEATS crew in Ottawa
Kept lots to hold onto.
Kingston and Muskoka,
London has a great showing!
Sudbury and Brockville,
Even when it’s snowing.
Nova Scotia took hold
Of a big delivery too
Halifax, New Glasgow,
Truro, Antigonish got their due.
Through blizzards and deep freeze,
Onward to St. John,
Driven from Halifax,
For Moncton and Fredericton.
From one island to another
East coast from the west,
PEI might be small
But they represent with the rest.
One lonely LATCHY
Flew all the way to the Rock,
Island-to-island transfer,
If only they could talk.
Oh WAIT! But they CAN!
The people they’ve met,
The stories they share,
Bring us close, you can bet.
Technicians in Canada
Are scattered about
We’re far and we’re wide
But we’re mighty, no doubt.
With zest and with flare,
We network and talk,
We learn and share notes,
With those in our flock.
5,000 kms from west to east coast,
We’re north and we’re south
To us all we do toast:
To our passion and drive,
Our hours of work,
Helping parents and caregivers,
On forums we lurk.
We wander the aisles at our big box stores,
We read and we learn,
Always thirsting for more.
More ways to reach out,
To help and to give,
So kids and families
Stay safe and can live,
Happy and confident in their car seating skills,
Amongst goldfishy crackers and apple juice spills.
We have law enforcement, public health, and retail,
We have stay at home parents,
We just can not fail.
Helping in person, by phone and online,
We have the knowledge,
And we share it, big time.
Child passenger safety!
Listen up please.
We make it look easy,
We’re CRSTs!