MADD CT January Newsletter 2022

MADD CT January Newsletter 2022

MADD TIMES A M O N T H L Y E M A I L N E W S L E T T E R

J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 2

Happy New Year!

CONTAC T US Enjoy the winter season , visit us online , www . madd . org / ct or on Facebook . I look forward to sharing in future newsletters , upcoming events , ways to get involved , board opportunities and of course – means of support ! Thank you so much for all that you do in helping us save lives . Only Together Can We End Drunk Driving and Save Innocent Lives ! Our Victim Services and Program Departments , successfully met and fulfilled each request for assistance , services and virtual programming from a myriad of constituents across the state . While fundraising and in person events continued to be down from prior pandemic times , we did realize slight increases in each area from 2020 . We are so thankful for the individuals , businesses , foundations , and corporations that stood by us along the way . Because of this continuing support we are looking forward to a very promising new year in hopes of returning to what we experienced prior to March of 2020 . I hope you each had the opportunity to celebrate and enjoy the sights , sounds , and associated festivities during the holiday season . As we look back on 2021 and the challenges faced due to the ongoing pandemic , we at MADD CT are proud of the success , sustainability , and growth we achieved during trying times . This success is a direct result of all that you did for our mission and the fight to end drunk driving .

All the best !

MADD Connecticut 339 Hemingway Ave . , 2nd Floor East Haven , CT 06512 203 - 764 - 2566

MADD Connecticut 339 Hemingway Ave . , 2nd Floor East Haven , CT 06512 03 - 764 - 2566

Bob Garguilo Executive Director – New England Region

ct . state @ madd . org www . madd . org / ct

ct . state @ madd . org www . madd . org / ct

SAVE THE DATE : April 30, 2022 – WALK LIKE MADD FOXWOODS Please consider forming a team and walking with us !

NAT I ONA L B LOOD DONOR MONTH

The month of January is usual ly a per iod of cr itical blood shortages . People stop donating blood dur ing the hol idays and when they get sick dur ing cold and f lu season . Blood dr ives also get snowed out dur ing the winter months . More than 50 years ago — on December 31 , 1969 — the president of the United States signed a proclamation designating January as National Blood Donor Month ( NBDM ) . The new monthly observance was meant to honor voluntary blood donors and to encourage more people to give blood at a time when more

blood is needed . For more information visit the Association of the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies

POWE L L R I VER K I NGS PAR TNER WI TH MADD AND RCMP TO PROMOT E DR I V I NG SOBER DUR I NG HOL I DAY S EASON

Project Red Ribbon encourages planning ahead Angela Lackey , Powel l River Peak Dec 15 , 2021 4 : 55 PM

Cor inne Wi l l iams , marketing di rector for Powel l River Kings , contacted Mothers Against Drunk Dr iving ( MADD ) recently to see i f she could do anything to raise awareness in the qathet region after seeing a fami l iar face on her social media feed . “ This story gets me a l ittle bit because the fami ly whose faces are on the Mothers Against Drunk Dr iving campaign this year include a young gi rl who was a very important part of the community back in my hometown , Rocky Mountain House . ” Chloe Kaniusis was ki l led by an impai red dr iver on November 21 , 2014 , and is the face of MADD Canada this year . “ I ’ ve always known about Mothers Against Drunk Dr iving , but I guess maybe it just rang a l ittle truer once I saw the face of it this year , ” said Wi l l iams . “ It tears me up . ” On the Kings ’ behal f , Wi l l iams agreed to partner with the local RCMP detachment and MADD ’ s Project Red Ribbon , an annual campaign that runs from November to January 3 , distr ibuting thousands of red r ibbons and car decals for Canadians to display . So far , the hockey club has donated 52 game tickets to be given out at roadblocks , along with r ibbons and decals , to sober dr ivers over this hol iday season . In an emai l , detachment commander and staff sergeant Rod Wiebe stated that reports of impai red dr iving are up signi f icantly in 2021 compared to 2020 . “ As of December 10 , 174 impai red dr iving incidents have been recorded , compared to 161 incidents in al l of 2020 , ” he added . Wiebe pointed out that increased proactive checks l ikely impact this statistic . “ I am impressed by how hard our off icers are working in this area , but also disappointed that some dr ivers are sti l l not getting the message to plan ahead , ” stated Wiebe , adding that he thinks dr ivers were pleasantly surpr ised by the Kings ’ tickets .

HOME AND AWAY: The family of Powell River Kings’ forward Mark D’Agostino [above, left, with RCMP sergeant Sandi Swanson and teammate Matthias Smith] became deeply involved with the MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) chapter in Branford, Connecticut, after a drunk driver killed his great- grandmother. Corinne Williams photo

“ It isn ’ t often that people are acknowledged for being responsible . Making the choice to be a [ designated driver ] or planning ahead for a safe ride home has a considerable and positive impact on road safety so we are very appreciative of those who do . Thanks to the Kings , we are able to reward people for their contributions to a safer Powell River .” Williams said the ribbons also serve as a powerful tribute to the hundreds of Canadians killed and thousands injured in crashes every year involving impaired drivers . Family dedicates time Kings ’ forward Mark D ’ Agostino knows what it ’ s like to have lost a family member to impaired driving . Before he was born , his great - grandmother was killed by a drunk driver . Surviving the crash were his grandmother and great - aunt , who left the scene alive but with broken bones . Following the incident , his hometown of Branford , Connecticut , named a road after his great - grandmother and MADD opened a local chapter there . His grandmother and great - aunt , along with their other sister , have dedicated time to the organization . D ’ Agostino said he and his other family members have also pitched in , and he ’ s happy to see the cause here , too . It reminds him of home . “ I think our team has a big impact on this community ,” he added . “[ Impaired driving ] happens more than you think . It ’ s great that we ’ re trying to do something about it .” Not only does he think it will impact the community , but the team , too . He said sharing this message as a 20 - year - old shows younger folks they ’ re never too young to be impacted by impaired driving . “ It could change younger and older people ’ s minds ,” said D ’ Agostino . “ If our age group can hop on the wagon of trying to prevent this , it ’ s great .” Williams said she ’ s never seen Project Red Ribbon in Powell River before , and hopes to see as many red ribbons on cars as possible . “ Hopefully , they pass out a lot of game tickets ,” she added . “ That means they made it through the checkpoint , which means they drove sober this holiday season , and that ’ s super important .”