In Our Hearts
By | February 4, 2013 | Filed in: National President , Victim Services

On a TV show I watched recently, a young woman was clinging to a pink felt heart.  Her friend pointed to it and asked, “What’s this about?” The woman responded, “It was sewn on a teddy bear that I carried around everywhere when I was a child.  I never let go of that bear.  I finally wore it out, and this heart is all I have left,” she replied.  He very gently responded, “You have the best part.”  He then pulled a tiny piece of paper from his wallet.  It was from a Chinese fortune cookie she had given him the first time they met.  On it was written, “Today’s new friend is tomorrow’s family.”

This month, many of us whose loved ones were killed by impaired driving will pull out Valentine cards that are now—like my heart’s feelings—a little tattered around the edges.  My eyes often fill with tears as I think, “this is all I have left of Alisa.  I want more.” 

But then, Alisa’s lovely spirit tiptoes to the front of my heart.  You see I carry her in my heart, everywhere I go.  She has always been there—before she was born, to the time that she danced around us on this earth, and even now when her beautiful spirit lives in my heart, as it does in so many others.  I never let go of that girl.

On Valentine’s Day—and every day—remember that our loved ones live on in our heart.  In our hearts… that’s the best place, now.   I am so grateful for all of the gifts Alisa continues to give me, and I am sure that your loved ones fill your heart with gifts of love, too.  May your Valentine’s Day give you warm moments of lovely memories. 

Each of us connects to MADD for our own reasons, and so we are connected to one another.  I cherish our bond as I cherish every one of you.   On this Valentine’s Day, whether or not we have met in person, I thank you for being in my life. Today’s new friend is tomorrow’s family.  How true that is. 

Warmly,
Jan

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood Stepping Down
By | January 29, 2013 | Filed in: General , National President

MADD is extremely grateful for Secretary LaHood’s leadership and his commitment to issues of highway safety during his time in office. He has truly been a leader in drunk driving prevention by supporting MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving and demonstrating a willingness to find long-term solutions to drunk driving, such as the Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety (DADSS). I have had the pleasure of working with Secretary LaHood on numerous occasions, and he is always a tireless advocate for saving lives and preventing injuries on our nation’s roadways. We wish him continued success and happiness in the future, and we look forward to working closely with his successor to make our roads safer for American families.

David Strickland, Jan Withers and Ray LaHood

A Season to Celebrate
By | December 20, 2012 | Filed in: General

Happy Holidays!

This holiday season, I am celebrating my wonderful family and friends, and the incredible progress we've made together this year.  For the first time in history, drunk driving deaths have fallen below 10,000, and we could not have done that without your help—your support, your donations, your time spent volunteering, your emails and phone calls to legislators, your participation in Walk Like MADD and other events, and even your Facebook shares and re-tweets!

To show my thanks, I want to share with you a special Holiday video message.

Thanks to you, each year we save more lives, serve more victims and bring awareness to the dangers of drunk driving and underage drinking.

We know that there is still much work to be done and we won’t stop until there are no more drunk driving deaths.  I hope that you’ll stand with us until we achieve that goal.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for all that you do for MADD, and happy holidays!

Warmly,

Jan Withers
MADD National President

Dateline Holiday Episode
By | December 13, 2012 | Filed in: Drunk Driving , National President

Words to describe the taping experience for the holiday episode of Dateline NBC are as varied as the subjects on the show.   Three groups of people took part in three scenarios.  They were everyday folks, under the impression that they were there to rate holiday treats, wines and decorations, which they did.  Andrea Canning, the NBC correspondent, gave the participants instructions, and then left the room for about 10 minutes, so they could confer privately on their ratings. 

Jan watches the hidden camera footage with Dateline’s correspondent and producer.

Among the group were two actors, one of whom was charged with guzzling the wine (his bottle really contained grape juice) and acting drunk.  

When Andrea rejoined the group, she invited them to return to their chauffeured vehicles and travel on to another venue where they would do some more sampling and rating.  Of course, the actor pretending to be impaired announced he would take his own car.

Participants were surrounded by cameras with Andrea in the room, but after she left, they thought they were “alone.”  However, cameras were still watching, hidden in the ice bucket, the lamp, the microwave oven, and at various spots in the parking lot.  Would these adults stop this person who was obviously impaired from getting behind the wheel?    

I observed with fascination in a side room, listening to their concerns and debates.   After each scenario was complete, Andrea would ask them why they made the decisions they did.  Then I was invited to join them and share with them my observations and some tips for handling this type of situation in the future.

My own reactions from behind the curtain shocked me.  At some points, I was fighting tears of discouragement.  Soon thereafter, I was again filled with tears, this time of hope and pride – more precisely, pride in my fellow womankind.   The evening was a rollercoaster of emotions.  The evening was entertaining.  The evening was enlightening.  The evening was energizing. 

I encourage you to tune in and let me know what you think!  

Warmly,
Jan

Twenty-six years of Tie One On For Safety®
By | December 4, 2012 | Filed in: Drunk Driving

This is the time of year when more people are on the roads and incidents of drunk  driving increase.   That’s why MADD’s annual Tie One On For Safety campaign, now in its 26th year, encourages people to tie a red ribbon on their car, or attach a red ribbon magnet or window decal in a visible place on the vehicle, in an effort to remind everyone to drive safe, sober and buckled up.

I remember clearly the very first thing I did as a local MADD volunteer.  It was only about six months after my daughter, Alisa, was killed by a drunk driver.  I wanted to do “something” to make a difference and give back to MADD, and to show my gratitude for the unwavering support they had given me.  The director of my local MADD office knew my grief was still very raw, so she gently asked if I would mind helping distribute red ribbons.  My family and I literally took thousands of MADD red ribbons and stapled them to cards with information about MADD. It was so therapeutic to know we were doing “something” to make a difference.

All the schools in the area were requesting ribbons that would be given to students to take home, so their parents could tie them on their car antennae.  Back in the MADD office, several volunteers and I counted and packaged the ribbons into brown bags, 500 per bag.   We then stuffed our cars to the ceiling with these bags, took our trusty maps and delivered them to the schools.  It was quite an undertaking.

That awareness was invaluable for our children.  Even before Alisa was killed, I remember my children bringing the MADD red ribbons home from school during this time of year.   Let me tell you, if I didn’t get that red ribbon on the car as soon as they thought I should, my children certainly let me know about it.  Luckily, I had three school-aged children, because when the ribbon became frayed from the weather, I had two more!  

Today, I look at my car and wonder where I could possibly tie a ribbon… but thank goodness for magnets and window decals!   They are still a very visual reminder for all of us to drive sober.

I hope you will contact your local MADD office to get a red ribbon, magnet or window decal for your vehicle, to remind everyone to drive safe, sober and buckled up this holiday season.

Click here to learn how you can to participate Tie One On For Safety.