Sask. man handing out ‘Next to Kin’ tags, which help locate lost loved ones in a crowd

A Regina man is handing out ID tags designed to help reunite lost children and vulnerable people with their families. Jacob Carr has the story.

A Regina man is promoting a tool that can help people find their loved ones who have gotten lost in a crowd.

Thom Hamilton, founder of Next to Kin, was handing out his signature tags at last week’s home Saskatchewan Roughriders game for free.

The tags are designed to help locate children or elderly folks if they are separated from their loved ones in a crowd.

Hamilton says the idea, ironically, came to him during the pregame festivities before a Riders game.

“My son went to the bouncy castle. I lost track of him and started looking around and everyone was wearing green,” he told CTV News.

“I had seen that people were using the similar technology with 3D printing for business cards and I thought, well, why don’t I make something like this?” he said.

“I can throw it on him and if he gets lost or separated, he can go to any adult and say, ‘Hey, can you call my dad?’” added Hamilton.

The Next to Kin founder said people can program a phone number into the tags, which can then be clipped onto a child, loved one or even a dog.

If someone wearing a tag becomes lost, a person nearby can scan the tag with their phone, enabling them to pull up the necessary contact info to get whoever is lost back to their family.

The Next to Kin tags have been positively received by parents at Rider games this season.

“We’ve lost children. And that time in between where you’re not connected with them can be pretty scary. So, I think if it speeds up the time that you can get parents connected with their kids again, I think that’s a bonus,” said Regina resident Michelle Sandomirsky.

Hamilton has handed out thousands of tags to get the word out about his new product and encourages those in Regina to keep their loved ones safe.

“I love it. I think it’s a great idea, especially for really little ones and older adults that could use it,” said Regina resident Jaimie Paradis.

Hamilton hopes that his product will help foster a sense of community.

“It really is this agreement that by putting on the tag, that if you find someone now, you’re joining the tribe. If you find someone now wandering with this, you know what to do. And that’s the whole point ... we want to come together,” said Hamilton.

The founder of Next to Kin told CTV News that he is not concerned with making a profit from the tags but is instead focused on getting them out into the world and making sure they work.

“I’m trying to do some good. If it’s going to be a valuable project, money will find its way to me. But I’m never going to charge for them, I’m never going to take any of your data, it’s never going to go anywhere,” said Hamilton.

Next to Kin tags are currently being used in eight provinces in Canada.