2017 Denver Walk Like MADD
Walk Like MADD Brings Community Together to Remember Loved Ones, Inspire Change and Commit to Future of No More Victims
MADD Colorado hosts 12th annual signature fundraising event in Denver
Denver, Colorado (August 5, 2017) – The Colorado Affiliate of Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD) hosted its signature Walk Like MADD non-competitive 5K fundraising walk at Sloan’s Lake Park on August 5th. Over 500 Walk Like MADD participants joined together to remember those who’ve been impacted, inspire the community to take action and make a commitment to fight drunk and drugged driving.
Walk like MADD has three main components:
- Remember: We walk for those who no longer can and alongside those who are learning to walk again.
- Inspire: We walk empowered even when we feel powerless, as survivors when we have been victimized, and with purpose when we have lost our way.
- Commit: We walk with supporters who share our vision of no more drunk and drugged driving victims.
“We walk to finish the job that was started by a grieving mother in 1980. Now in our 37th year, MADD has saved more than 350,000 lives and has served nearly one million victims,” said Fran Lanzer, MADD Colorado Executive Director. “Walk Like MADD raises mission-critical funds to help save lives in our hometown.”
Despite a 54 percent decline in drunk driving deaths since MADD Colorado was founded in 1983, 191 people were killed in suspected impairment crashes in 2016 according to CDOT. Nationwide, almost 10,000 people are killed by drunk drivers and another 290,000 are injured in drunk driving crashes every year. In fact, two in three people will be involved in a drunk driving crash in their lifetime.
“We’re proud to be the Statewide Sponsor of MADD Colorado and the Presenting Sponsor for the Denver Walk Like MADD,” said Darin Schanker, founding partner of Bachus & Schanker. “As a personal injury law firm, we’ve seen the devastating injuries and trauma to victims and their families as a result of drunk and drugged driving crashes. This sponsorship is our commitment to join with MADD Colorado to make our communities safer.”
The Bachus & Schanker team also produced this great recap video of the event. You can check it out here.
The Denver Walk Like MADD is also sponsored by King Soopers, the Frickey Law Firm, Brandon Dodge, and the Lapham Law Firm.
Denver 7 reporter Connor Wist served as the MC for this year’s Denver Walk Like MADD. During the opening ceremonies, Connor presented awards to the top participants and teams to recognize their fundraising efforts for the Denver Walk Like MADD:
- Top Walker: Jonni Conant, Team Justin
- Top Youth Walker: Alex Luna, Team Yella & JT
- Top Family & Friends Team: Team Justin
- Top Law Enforcement Team: Team Denver DA
- Top Military Team: Top Guns
- Top Corporate Team: Walmart NHM
This Saturday’s event raised over $95,000 and MADD Colorado hopes to raise another $20,000 to further MADD’s lifesaving mission to fight drunk and drugged driving. Contributions are still being accepted through the end of August. Please visit www.walklikemadd.org/denver to donate to help save lives in Colorado.
You can view preliminary photos from the Denver Walk Like MADD here. We will post more photos when they’re available. Thank you to MADD volunteer Tyler Conant for documenting the Denver Walk!
Walk Like MADD events are taking place in more than 90 cities across the country this year. This September, MADD Colorado will also host Walk Like MADD events in Greeley on September 9th and in Colorado Springs on September 30th. More information about upcoming events can be found at www.walklikemadd.org.
The crowd at Walk Like MADD