Mid-Atlantic Regional Newsletter October 2021 Executive Director Spotlight This past month MADD Mid-Atlantic honored hundreds of Law Enforcement and service personnel across the states of Virginia and Maryland at our Law Enforcement Recognition event. We are so grateful for each and every honoree and the work they do each and every day. Thank you for working to keep our roads safe.
All of this would have not been possible without the sponsors of this year’s events: State Farm®, ALLEN ALLEN ALLEN & ALLEN, Azreal Franz, News 6, Walmart, The Hill and Chambers Families, Mike Goodove of Swartz Taliaferro Swartz & Goodove, Allstate, Richmond Ford, Walmart, M&T Bank, Rory Unfinished Business, and the Noah A. Leotta Foundation.
I also want to thank our venue sponsor, Shamin Hotels, and our Emcees- Greg McQuade of WTVR Ch.6 in Richmond and Adrian Wilcox of State Farm Insurance in Largo MD, and all of our volunteers and staff that made these 2 events possible
Pictures from the Maryland event can be seen on the MADD MD Facebook page, and a list of all Maryland recipients can be seen here. Pictures from the VA event can be seen on the MADD VA Facebook page and a list of all Virginia recipients can be seen here.
Upcoming with more information to come: Advisory Board opportunities Sponsorship opportunities If you would like to connect with me, please do not hesitate to email me at Roderick.howard@madd.org
Halloween can be a deadly evening… ….with young children and impaired drivers coming together at dusk. Last year around Halloween in Virginia, from Friday, October 30 through Sunday, November 1, 2020, there were 109 alcohol-related crashes, 65 injuries and two deaths. According to the National Safety Council, children are more than twice as likely to be hit and killed by a vehicle on Halloween compared to any other day of the year.
Farwell from Julia Halberstam- MADD MD Program Specialist I’ve learned so much from this experience over the past 3 years, and my time spent as a Program Specialist on this team has been such a valuable part of my career journey. I know I’ll carry the things I’ve learned here with me to my next adventure, and I’ll always look back on this experience with a lot of fondness. I’m wishing you all the best moving forward. And thanks again for being a part of making my time here at MADD such a great one!
MADD Mid-Atlantic Volunteer Spotlights ![]() Amy Davis - Maryland Rahul was the love of my life. I met him in 2002 and his life was taken by a drunk and drugged driver in February, 2015. He was 52 years old and when I received that phone call from the Georgia State Police, my life, as I knew it, was over. Read more here on the MADD Maryland blog.
Carter Hill - Virginia Carter Hill came to MADD after his son, Carter Jr., was killed in an alcohol related crash in 1997. After a night out at a bar with friends, Carter, Jr. worried that if he was caught driving, he would lose his CDL license for work. He made the all-too-common decision to give his car keys to a friend who had also been drinking that night. About a mile from home, they hit a tree. Carter Jr. was ejected and died. Read more here on the MADD Virginia blog.
Supporting Our Blue! ![]() After having our MADD Mid-Atlantic Region Law Enforcement Recognition Luncheons on the 19th and 20th of October, we figured why stop at one event? Our officers put their lives on the line to keep our roadways safe day in and day out and they play a crucial role in our mission to end drunk driving. High visibility efforts have been shown to reduce drunk driving deaths by 20%. These men and women are here to protect and serve our community and it is our duty to pay it forward to our officers and make them feel appreciated for their hard work.
Here are 7 ways we can honor our local Law Enforcement Officers:
Because of the nature of substance impaired driving crashes, MADD Mid-Atlantic’s contact and work with victims means that we are never sure what our cases are going to look like. For us, there is no typical case. The only aspects that the cases have in common is that; 1) they have nothing in common; and 2) they were 100% preventable. Because there is no typical victim profile, our Victim Services Team has become adept at working with people from all backgrounds. In addition, we are aware of the various ways traumatic loss could be experienced by everyone from children, to seniors. No loss occurs in a bubble. Everyone is part of a family, a school, a community, etc., and they are pulling from support from a variety of people in their lives. It’s important to recognize that trauma can present very differently across the life span. Read the rest of this article on the MADD Maryland Blog.
Do you want to be a MADD Mid-Atlantic Volunteer? Opportunities are available throughout the Region! To learn more, contact cristi.cousins@madd.org for information about upcoming volunteer information sessions
Calendar of events:
Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021 from (NEW TIME) 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm EST MADD Mid-Atlantic and The Living Legacy Foundation present: Grief Education Series: Hope and Healing for the Holidays The holidays can be an especially difficult time for those grieving the loss of a loved one. We also know that the holidays may look very different this year for many people due to the pandemic and health/safety precautions. Whether it's a recent loss, one you've been coping with for a while, or even grieving the holidays you had hoped for this year, all types of grief can feel more challenging during times when you're expected to be happy and joyful. Join us and learn about grief, self-care strategies and ways to honor our loved ones. Register for the FREE workshop by clicking here: https://www.thellf.org/for-donor-families/community-grief-resources-and-events/workshops/
Tuesday, November 9th, 2021 at 6:00 pm EST MADD Mid-Atlantic Monthly Virtual Support Group
Tuesday, November 16, 2021 at 6:30 pm EST For tickets and to register for this free support group, Register using this link:
Thursday, January 20, 2022 at 6:00 pm (EST) Resilient Roundtable: Loss of a Child
Did You know that there is a victim support library available on MADD’s website? You can print copies of any of our excellent victim support publications in English or Spanish. #NoMoreVictims
24-Hour Victim Help Line 877.MADD.HELP © 2021 Mothers Against Drunk Driving |