Mothers Against Drunk Driving hosts candlelight vigil for victims this Saturday

Having been a member for over 25 years, McIntyre says she knows people who have been killed by a drunk driver and has seen how important the vigil is in the community.

“We have people that have been coming ever since I’ve been a volunteer and they come every year and light a candle for their loved one,” she said, adding the Red Deer Chapter was the first chapter established west of the Ontario border 31 years ago by Mary Williams.

“It’s sad to say but every year we add new names to our list.”

READ: Lasting impacts: Impaired driving incident takes life of local three-year-old

(MADD Red Deer & District Chapter Facebook)

Corporal Troy Savinkoff, Public Information Officer with the Alberta RCMP, said that impaired driving has caused more harm to society and to loved ones than homicide.

“Every year, statistics show the same thing: impaired driving is the leading cause of death in our country. To put that in more simple terms, more people are killed by impaired drivers than are murdered in this country,” he said.

Savinkoff adds that people should work together to eliminate this preventable yet serious situation from society.

At the start of November, MADD Canada also launched their annual Red Ribbon Campaign.

This year’s campaign will be honoring Beryl Hansen, a Manitoba woman who was struck and killed by an impaired driver on April 20, 1999, while she was out for her morning walk.

(MADD Red Deer & District Chapter Facebook)

Boxes will be selling red ribbons throughout the central Alberta region by donation. The ribbons are meant for individuals to wear as a reminder to not drive impaired.

In Red Deer, ribbon boxes can be found at Chillabongs Bar & Grill and East 40th Pub. In Blackfalds, they will be located at the Rose & Holly Store, the Blackfalds library, and the Abbey Centre. More locations are to come and will be listed on their social media pages.

McIntyre says the donations are used to fund their programs in Red Deer throughout the year like the vigil, school presentations, public awareness materials and advertisements, their work with the Crime Prevention Centre, and to fund their employee trained for victim services.

The Chapter will also be holding their Charity Check Stop on Saturday, December 9 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Taylor Drive, north of 32 Avenue, along with the Red Deer Christmas Bureau and the Red Deer Food Bank, to share their message.

The Campaign runs until January 8, 2024, as a public reminder during the holiday season.

“Don’t drink and drive, don’t be impaired, call a cab, call a friend, sleep over; the message is the same every year,” she said, adding this includes alcohol and drugs.

“It is a time of the year where people are celebrating but celebrate responsibly.”

—–

Download the rdnewsNOW mobile app on Google Play and the Apple App Store for all the latest updates on this and other stories.

by Alessia Proietti

Mothers Against Drunk Driving hosts candlelight vigil for victims this Saturday

What's Trending