MADD Quinte’s Project Red Ribbon Campaign has one goal – to save lives and end impaired driving.
The Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) campaign distributes red ribbons as a small but powerful symbol of the wearers’ commitment to sober driving, and is a reminder that the deaths and injuries resulting from impairment-related crashes are needless and preventable.
Chapter president Allen Magee says they don’t want to see any more tragedies tearing families apart during the holiday season.
“That’s why the Red Ribbon Campaign is tied to the holiday season because we want to make sure that people can enjoy the holiday season with their loved ones and their friends and their family members.”
Magee says impaired driving has only seemed to increase during the pandemic.
“I follow the OPP from west all the way to east, like western region, central and eastern region. And it’s kind of a head scratcher, because, you know, it’s everywhere. So I don’t understand why people continue to do it when the message is everywhere.”
The campaign is holding a couple of big awareness events including one this weekend at McDowell’s Your Independent Grocer in Belleville.
Friday (12 p.m. – 9 p.m.), Saturday (10 a.m. -4 p.m.) and Sunday (10 a.m. -4 p.m.), volunteers will be accepting donations and offering awareness items including red ribbons.
All donations stay with the local chapter to help promote their message of don’t drink and drive.
MADD Quinte will be at Smylie’s Your Independent Grocer in Trenton next weekend (December 2 – 4) on Friday (5 p.m. – 9 p.m.), Saturday (10 a.m. -4 p.m.), and Sunday (10 a.m. – 4 p.m.).
Magee adds the organization is also looking for volunteers and board members.
Anyone interested can email maddquinte@gmail.com for more information.
