Great American Picnic

Summertime is all about hot days, fried chicken, cool watermelon and remembering those we love.  That is what we did last Saturday and it was a great time for all.  I think  everyone of us was able to be a kid again just for a few hours. 

I am continually amazed how much MADD is my family and reminded daily how fortunate I am to work for MADD, support others who have been impacted by drunk driving and blessed to be surrounded by so many fantastic & optimistic community folks.

MADD Greater Omaha CAS Picnic

At our picnic we “Celebrated Life“ with a balloon release and message to our loved ones who have been injured or killed.  Babe Ruth once stated, “It is hard to beat a person who never gives up”.  He said it right – we are all in this for the long haul and we are here together so we might as well play hard along the way, never giving up and always striving for the best. 

The kids at the picnic were such a treat and it gave me a sense of renewed commitment to ensure everyone, everyday has the opportunity to get home alive and healthy.

Each of us make a choice and I am asking each of you to make the right choice – don’t drink and drive – remember the kids they need us and we need them.

My personal thanks to  all of the CAS members for lifting my spirits and reinforcing, for me once again, why I love my job.  Special thanks to our state victim advocate ,Cyndee McCarthy, and our trained volunteer victim advocate, Kurt Muhle, for their efforts to make our picnic truly great!

Simera Reynolds, M.Ed.

State Executive Director

 

 

Reaching out to stop drunk driving

As we strive together to achieve our mission, it is ever so essential not to overlook one of our best neighbors – law enforcement.  The first line in our mission states: to stop drunk driving.  There is no one else better equipped to assist MADD in achieving that goal than law enforcement. They are our front line in defense.  They have the ability to stop drunk driving through enforcement. Enforcement of state laws that have been passed by our legislators, signed by our governors and supported by people like you and me. 

Prosecutor Award, Mandy Trout, Colfax County Attorney's Office

The MADD Nebraska State Operations Council has seven enforcement representatives, from city police to county sheriff’s to probation to county attorneys.  The State Organization is not the only one to reap the benefits that law enforcement, as volunteers, can provide to our community groups.  The MADD Greater Omaha Community Action Site has both a local city police officer and lieutenant with the Sarpy County Sheriff’s Department as active members; the Greater Omaha CAS utilizes a Valley Police Officer as a Trained Volunteer Victim Advocate.  MADD in Holt County has the full support of the Mayor who happens to be what else?  A Nebraska State Trooper.  MADD has a SOC member from Box Butte County making sure western Nebraka is not left out

Getting to know law enforcement officers across the state, for the state office, has been truly rewarding and I encourage each of you in your community to take time to get to know your local officers.  Ask them to become a MADD member.

All too often law enforcement goes unrecognized for their vigilant work to stop drunk driving.  This year MADD Nebraska held our 10^th annual “Outstanding Law Enforcement Award” ceremonies.  MADD is proud, as an organization, to commend law enforcement across the state for their efforts in eliminating drunk driving and maintaining public safety.

Midnight Accident Unit, make 945 DUI arrests. MADD applauds OPD work.

  From this annual event, MADD has made friends, changed views, learned new views and most of all found a partner that is willing to help us achieve our mission: to stop drunk driving.  Just as we work with victims to support them, law enforcement has taken an oath to uphold our state laws. Law enforcement constitutes the front line in our fight to end impaired driving.  Embrace that partnership!

Yep, It happened to MADD Nebraska -Computer Crash!

How many times have we all thought about a back up system and then put it off to the next day?  If you are like me you thought of it but have you implemented it?  Sadly, yesterday everything went down and we could only recover records from 2006 and back.

When you think about the work we do on computers that is a BIG chunk of time, work and labor, ugh.  Well I am not going to complain and instead I will take full responsibility for not protecting our information.  I have been listening to Kim Komando, http://www.komando.com/, for several months and I should have heeded her wisdom then but I did not. 

 Much like our crashes (car crashes that is) here at MADD, no one thinks it can happen to them until it does.  Then we look for help!  Thanks to Andrew Duey, http://www.dueycs.com/goodies.html, for tech support.  Andrew can’t pull information out of a hat but he can sure provide you the right tools to ensure you are on solid ground and know how to proceed to support your organization or company.  Andrew warned me and advocated for a better back up system, like many I listened with keen interest and then failed to follow through – that is the key to this blog.  Make a plan and follow through – whether it is your plan to designate a sober driver the night you go out with pals or a plan to set in place a backup system – get’r done!