Photo: MADD ribbon cutting ceremony in front of Kennedy Collegiate Institute, November 2, 2017

Windsor Police Service launch 30th Annual MADD Windsor & Essex County Project Red Ribbon Campaign

MADD Canada’s Project Red Ribbon campaign runs from November 1 to the first Monday of the new year. The ribbon cutting took place in front of the secondary school with local police services, students, victims and emergency services personnel.

Hamka Chaouki, Community leader from MADD Windsor & Essex County CL Group, said if he could make anything more clear to the Kennedy Collegiate Institute students, it would be to always have a way to get home safe.

“I’m sure if any parent that is in here are thinking they wouldn’t mind getting a call at 3 or 4 o’clock in the morning for a ride home rather than the police coming to the door and telling them their son or daughter died in a car accident.”

MADD provides services and programs to those affected by drunk driving including victim and survivor services, help pay for tributes and memorials, awareness campaigns and encouraging youth to drive safe.

“On a personal level, when I was a teenager about the same age as most of you are in this room, my brother made the decision to get behind the wheel after a night of drinking,” says Shawn Davis, Staff Sergeant for the Windsor-Essex Police. “He spent the rest of his life as a quadriplegic confined to a wheelchair. The people off to the sides of you (police personnel) are here to help you get home safe in hopes you remember not to drive impaired.”

MADD Windsor & Essex County is asking residents of Windsor & Essex County to tie a MADD Canada red ribbon to their vehicles, key chains, purses, briefcases and backpacks. The red ribbon is a symbol of a person’s commitment to drive safe and sober during the holiday season, and reminds other motorists to always drive sober as well. It also serves as a moving tribute to all victims who have been killed or injured in impaired driving crashes.

Chaouki added, “Impaired driving is the number one criminal cause of death in Canada. It’s something that can be prevented.”

Those in attendance includes police personnel across Essex-County including LaSalle Police Service, Amherstburg Police Service, Essex County OPP, Windsor Fire & Rescue, EMS Windsor-Essex, Anderson Funeral Home (Hearse), and Windsor Port Authority.

For more information please visit online.