Health & Fitness
Meriden SADD Chapter to host White Out Walk
Public invited to join Meriden students to raise awareness of dunk driving before New Years Eve.
Meriden SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) and the Meriden Healthy Youth Council invite the public at large to participate in the Third Annual White Out Walk on Friday, December 28, 2012 beginning at Meriden City Hall at 5:00 pm.
Participants will be walking down East Main Street from City Hall to the Police Station, handing out flyers and red ribbons promoting a safe, alcohol-free, drug-free New Year’s holiday. The walk will conclude at Café Dolce, where participants will gather for hot cocoa.
Rushford’s Krystle Blake, is the Meriden SADD advisor.
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“Students felt it necessary to raise awareness about drunk driving, particularly among their peer group,” Blake said. “For example, three in every ten Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash at some point in their lives.” In addition, Blake noted that in Connecticut in 2010, 121 people died as a result of car crashes involving drunken drivers, which is a 25% increase from 2009.
It’s important to note that the youth among us are likely to imitate the behaviors of their parents and other influential adults in their lives.
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“Kids need to see adults model safe driving habits,” Blake said. “If adults don’t text and drive, chances are good the kids won’t either. This applies to drinking and driving, too.”
The SADD students promote this walk and other activities throughout the year to convey to parents and adult role models how important it is that everyone use good judgment and remain safe.
“For those under the age of 21, alcohol use is illegal,” Blake noted. “For those over the legal drinking age of 21, please always use a designated driver and an appropriate designated driver is someone who has not consumed any alcohol. That way you can increase your chances of having a safe, healthy New Years Eve!”
The Meriden White Out Walk is modeled after the successful Middletown White Out Walk, sponsored by the Middletown Substance Abuse Prevention Council. Funding for this activity is provided by Rushford through a Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction services to prevent underage drinking.
