TOOFS Event

Left to Right
Sheryl Coffey, Executive Director, Regional Advisory Council G
Dr. David Lakey, Commissioner, Texas Departmentof State Health Services
Loretta Kuhn, Hospital Preparedness Coordinator, Regional Advisory Council G

Commissioner David Lakey
Texas Department of State Health Services

Keynote speaker Dr. Lakey sited statistics from the Surgeon Generals “Call to Action” report and further related these statistics to what is happening in the state of Texas. He stated that nationally, 28% of students’ resort to driving with someone who’s been drinking…..but in Texas, that number is 37%. Again nationally, the median age at which children begin drinking, is approximately 16 years of age….but in Texas the median age is 12.2 years of age. Dr. Lakey complimented MADD, RAC—G and law enforcement for their heroic efforts in successfully saving lives. He concluded his remarks by pledging the state health department’s support in working with MADD, the medical community and law enforcement to reduce under-age drinking and alcohol-related traffic fatalities.

Ms. Grimes was critically injured in a crash caused by a drunk driver. Her mother, Catherine Michelle and her infant daughter, Michelle were burned to death in this crash. Ms Grimes has spoken to nearly 30,000 DWI/DUI offenders in eight counties to prevent this crime from happening in the first place.

MADD East Texas and The Piney Woods Regional Advisory Council, Trauma Service Area--G Successfully Launched their 3rd Annual “Tie One On For Safety” Event The Mothers Against Drunk Driving, (MADD) East Texas Region, Tyler Affiliate, and the Piney Woods Regional Advisory Council, Trauma Service Area-G (RAC-G) successfully launched their 3rd Annual “Tie One On For Safety” Event (TOOFS), on Tuesday, November 15, 2007 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. in Tyler, Texas. Community leaders, medical professionals, law enforcement and volunteers gathered to create awareness to drive, safe, sober and to buckle-up during this holiday season. The “Tie One On For Safety” campaign runs from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day, which is the heaviest travel season of the year and a time when drunk driving typically increases. Typically, more than 1,000 people are killed nationally during Thanksgiving through New Year’s in drunk driving crashes and more than 2,000 are killed in drunk driving crashes and/or crashes where safety belts were not used. Each year, more than 6 million red ribbons or red ribbon decals are distributed nationally as a symbol of the driver’s pledge to drive safe, sober and buckled up. It is a reminder to everyone to keep roads safe from drunk driving.

MADD East Texas was proud to have The Piney Woods Regional Advisory Council, Trauma Service Area G (RAC—G) as the Presenting Sponsor for the 3rd consecutive year. RAC—G is committed to providing outstanding trauma care throughout East Texas and equally dedicated to providing injury prevention education to East Texans of all ages, with an emphasis this year on education youth on the dangers of alcohol. RAC—G and MADD wholeheartedly support the Surgeon General’s “Call to Action” report that we, as Americans, can no longer ignore the adverse effects of underage drinking. Alcohol is a gateway drug, which often leads to academic failure, risky sexual behavior, injuries and even death. Therefore, MADD’s “Tie One On For Safety” event focused on honoring those outstanding individuals who have collaborated with MADD to develop programs to prevent underage drinking because alcohol continues to be the number one killer of our youth, more than all other illicit drugs combined.
				Left to Right Sheryl Coffey, Executive Director, Regional Advisory Council G Dr. David Lakey, Commissioner, Texas Departmentof State Health Services Loretta Kuhn, Hospital Preparedness Coordinator, Regional Advisory Council G

			Nearly 200 people attended this event, which were comprised of representatives from the medical community, law enforcement, district attorneys, judges, elected officials, social service agencies, educators, community leaders and media, all joining forces in the fight against drunk driving. This year’s keynote speakers were: Mr. Joey Seeber, Mayor of Tyler, Dr. David Lakey, Commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services, and Mr. Chuck Hurley, CEO MADD National Office. Mayor Seeber, through personal experience, urged parents to set an example regarding the usage of alcohol.
Commissioner David Lakey Texas Department of State Health Services
Keynote speaker Dr. Lakey sited statistics from the Surgeon Generals “Call to Action” report and further related these statistics to what is happening in the state of Texas. He stated that nationally, 28% of students’ resort to driving with someone who’s been drinking…..but in Texas, that number is 37%. Again nationally, the median age at which children begin drinking, is approximately 16 years of age….but in Texas the median age is 12.2 years of age. Dr. Lakey complimented MADD, RAC—G and law enforcement for their heroic efforts in successfully saving lives. He concluded his remarks by pledging the state health department’s support in working with MADD, the medical community and law enforcement to reduce under-age drinking and alcohol-related traffic fatalities.

Chuck Hurley, CEO MADD National and final keynote speaker, saw underage drinking as an adult problem, because adults supply the alcohol and teach teens how to drink by their own actions. MADD National is in the process of creating an adult/parents initiative to address this very issue. He further commented that MADD East Texas is considered to be a national model for the organization in how they have collaborated with community partnerships i.e. medical community, law enforcement and educators to develop prevention programs that saves lives.

In addition, MADD honored outstanding individuals in East Texas for their years of dedication in saving lives and making our communities safe for all who call East Texas their home. These individuals continue to make a difference daily – and are MADD’s 2007 “Difference Maker” honorees:

Ms. Sheryl Coffey, Executive Director Piney Woods Regional Advisory Council, Trauma Service Area—G
	Ms. Coffey has been a driving force in developing a collaborative partnership with MADD East Texas to prevent injuries and deaths due to drunk driving. Ms. Coffey has effectively developed one of the leading RAC’s in the state of Texas.

Ms. Lana Kaye Taylor Victim Impact Panel Speaker and MADD Volunteer
		Ms. Taylor’s daughter, Renee, was killed by a drunk driver which prompted her to work with first and second time offenders of DUI/DWI for the past 16 years.

Ms. Cindy Grimes Victim Impact Panel Speaker and MADD Volunteer
	Ms. Grimes was critically injured in a crash caused by a drunk driver. Her mother, Catherine Michelle and her infant daughter, Michelle were burned to death in this crash. Ms Grimes has spoken to nearly 30,000 DWI/DUI offenders in eight counties to prevent this crime from happening in the first place.

Special recognition and honor was given to law enforcement for strict enforcement and prosecution of DWI/DUI offenders. These individuals are truly the unsung heroes for putting their lives on the line each day to make our communities safe.

Tyler Police Department – Paula Riggle, Assistant Police Chief Smith County’s Sherriff’s Office – Lt. Craig Shelton Texas Department of Public Safety – Lt. Tim Smith Smith County District Attorney’s Office – Matt Bingham

MADD East Texas also honored two of Tyler’s colleges’ for their proactive approach in preventing underage drinking through the establishment of UMADD Chapters on campus, University of Texas at Tyler and Texas College. UMADD is a student led organization committed to making environmental changes to prevent underage drinking. Presently, there are only fifteen UMADD Chapters in the country. Therefore, this is an enormous accomplishment for two UMADD’s Chapters in one city to be collaborating together in educating youth on the dangers of alcohol.

On behalf of University of Texas at Tyler, Dr. Howard Patterson, Interim Vice President for Student Relations accepted this award. He stated he was proud of the role his students were playing in this organization.

On behalf of Texas College, President Dr. Billy Hawkins accepted this award and thanked his students, staff and faculty as well as MADD for their participation in creating this organization. He further stated that he knew personally how important it was to educate youth on the dangers of alcohol because his brother was killed twenty-nine years ago due to drunk driving.

MADD East Texas is proud to have a local RAC who has been committed to this event for the past three years. This partnership has greatly enhanced both organizations ability to educate the public on the dangers of drinking and driving by bringing together the medical professionals, law enforcement, who witness first hand the horrific effects of drunk driving on a daily basis. This level of awareness in East Texas could not have been achieved without The Piney Woods Regional Advisory Council, Trauma Service Area – G’s vision and commitment to saving lives and continuing to advocate for injury prevention through programs such as MADD’s “Tie One On For Safety” Event.

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