Conducir borracho = Peligro

¿Sabía usted que cada quince minutos un adolescente muere por conducir ebrio? Lo que es mas sorprendente es que la mayoría de las veces la persona que esta conduciendo ebrio no sufre lesiones mayores. Las consecuencias se pagan, ya sea por los pasajeros o las personas del coche que ha sido golpeado. Imagínate vivir con el recuerdo terrible de saber que tu has tomado la vida de otra persona. O, sin embargo, nunca se sabe si alguien en la carretera esta conduciendo ebrio y tu vida está en riesgo.

Casey Goodwin, una estudiante de veinte años en el colegio de Cuesta Vista en San Luis Obispo, era una joven activa que participaba en programas tales como Friday Night Live y California Youth Council. Ella era reconocida como una defensor de la prevención del consumo de alcohol entre menores de edad en todo el estado de California. No sólo estaba comprometido con la prevención del alcohol, pero tenía sueños de algún día convertirse en un profesora de la preparatoria. El 13 de marzo del 2003 los sueños de Casey y su vida fueron llevados por un joven de dieciocho años de edad que estaba conduciendo ebrio y golpeo a Casey en la carretera. El joven de dieciocho años conducía al trabajo después de que había consumido algunas cervezas cuando ocurrió el incidente. Casey estaba en camino a celebrar el cumpleaños de su madre- nunca llego. Cuando la madre de Casey Lynne Goodwin llegó al hospital en el que Casey fue llevada ella recuerda cuando el médico dijo que los huesos de Casey se rompieron por lo que necesitaría llevar a cabo cirugía. No sólo eso, sino que también encontró que todos los órganos vitales de su cuerpo, excepto su corazón había sufrido daño irreparable. El cerebro de Casey también había sido dañado en ambos lados dejándola sin las ondas cerebrales. Es entonces cuando Goodwin se dio cuenta de que los médicos no podían hacer nada por Casey y ella tuvo que aceptar la dolorosa realidad de que Casey ya no estaba. El funeral de Casey fue asistido por más de 2,000 personas entre ellas estaban miembros de la familia, amigos, políticos, policías, y sus colegas.

El joven de dieciocho años que conducía ebrio no sufrió ninguna lesión pero fue condenado a diez años de prisión por homicidio vehicular. Estaba conduciendo 100 millas por hora cuando tomó la vida de Casey. La madre de Casey escribió en el sitio web de Casey, "He pasado gran parte de mi vida profesional trabajando para y con los jóvenes para evitar daños que pueden resultar en conductas de riesgo. Estos jóvenes también han incluido mis propios hijos. Irónicamente, mientras que mis hijos sabían el daño que puede resultar de beber y conducir no estaban seguros de ello. Era el chico que no sabía, que tomó la vida de mi hija.” Por eso es importante que los adolescente estén educados para evitar incidentes como éste.

La madre de Casey trabaja para el capítulo Friday Night Live y se pasa una gran cantidad de tiempo educando a los padres y adolescentes acerca de no conducir ebrio y cómo ella ha tenido que vivir con la muerte de su hija. Mientras yo asistía a la conferencia llamada, Youth Convergence en Miami, Florida en el 2008, tuve el honor de escuchar una presentación por Goodwin acerca de Casey. Goodwin inicia la presentación introduciendo la historia de Casey y poco a poco se avanza a la forma en que su hija falleció. Pero no es hasta el final de su presentación que menciona que ella es en realidad la madre de Casey. Las expresiones faciales en todos son increíbles. Esto no sólo nos impacta a todos en la habitación de la conferencia, pero sentimos el dolor a la madre de Casey y la ira hacia el joven de dieciocho años por conducir ebrio. Tragedias como ésta afectan directamente a la familia y todas las personas que rodean a Casey. Sinceramente, creo que historias como la de Casey se debe decir porque le dan a los oyentes una necesidad de educar a los adolescentes sobre conducir ebrio.

En honor de Casey Goodwin, Caseys Pledge ha sido desarrollado. Este es un compromiso donde los adolescentes se comprometen a no beber y conducir o estar en un coche con un conductor ebrio. Animo a todos los jóvenes a asumir el compromiso y que hagan esta opción saludable. Recuerda, no sólo es tu vida la que esta en peligro, sino también la vida de los demás.

Aquí hay algunas maneras en cuales tu puedes apoyar a Caseys Pledge:

• Si te encuentras en una situación en la que estás entrando en un coche y el conductor ha estado bebiendo llama a tus padres, un amigo, o un adulto de confianza para que te recojan.

• Relaciónate con personas que tienen un impacto positivo en tu vida.

• No bebas y conduzcas.

• Lleva Caseys Pledge a tu escuela y crear conciencia.

• ¡Se la persona que hace lo correcto!

¡Ten cuidado! Mantente con vida!

Drunk Driving = Danger

Did you know that every fifteen minutes a teen dies from drunk driving? What is even more eye opening is that most of the time the person who is drunk driving doesn’t suffer major injuries. The consequences are paid, either by the passengers or the people from the car that has been hit. Imagine living with the terrible memory of knowing that you have taken the life of someone else. Or yet, you never know if someone on the road is drunk driving and your life is at risk.

Casey Goodwin, a twenty year old college student at Cuesta Vista in San Luis Obispo, was an active teen who participated in programs such as, Friday Night Live and the California Youth Council. She was recognized as an advocate for the prevention of underage drinking all over the state of California. Not only was she committed to the prevention of alcohol but she had dreams of one day becoming a high school teacher. On March 13, 2003 Casey’s dreams and life were taken away by an eighteen year old drunk driver who hit her on the road. The eighteen year old was driving to work after he had some beers when the incident occurred. Casey was on her way to celebrate her mother’s birthday-she never made it. When her mother Lynne Goodwin arrived to the hospital that Casey was taken to she vividly remembers when the doctor stated that Casey’s bones were broken and they would need to perform surgery. Not only that but they also found that every vital organ in her body, except her heart had sustained irreplaceable damage. Casey’s brain had also, been damaged on both sides leaving her with no brain waves. That is when Goodwin realized that the doctors could not do anything for Casey and she had to accept the painful reality that Casey was gone. Casey’s funeral was attended by over 2,000 people including family members, friends, politicians, police officers, and colleagues.

The eighteen year old drunk driver did not suffer any injuries but he was sentenced to ten years in prison for vehicular manslaughter. He was driving 100 miles per hour when he took Casey’s life away. Casey’s mother wrote on the Casey’s Pledge website, “I have spent much of my professional life working for and with young people to prevent them from harm that can result from risky behavior. These young people have also included my own children. Ironically, while my children did know the harm that can result from drinking and driving they were not safe from it. It was the kid that didn’t know, that took my child’s life.” That is why it is important to be an educated teen to prevent incidents like this one.

Casey’s mother works for the Friday Night Live Chapter and she spends a great amount of time educating parents and teens about drunk driving and how she has had to live with her daughter’s death. While attending the Youth Convergence Conference in Miami, Florida in 2008, I had the honor to listen to Goodwin give a presentation about Casey. Goodwin starts these presentations by introducing Casey’s life story and slowly she advances to how her daughter passed away. But not until the very end of her presentation does she mention that she is in fact Casey’s mother. The facial expressions on everyone are unbelievable. Not only does this ending impact everyone in the room but we feel grief towards Casey’s mother and anger towards that eighteen year old for drunk driving. Tragedy’s like this one affect the family directly and everyone around them. I truly believe that stories like Casey’s should be told because it will give the listeners an urge to educate teens on drunk driving.

In honor of Casey Goodwin, Casey’s Pledge has been developed. This is a pledge where teens pledge not to drink and drive or get in a car with a drunk driver. I encourage all teens to take the pledge and to make this healthy choice. Remember, not only is your life in danger but also the life of others as well.

Here are few ways you can support Casey’s Pledge:

-If you run into a situation where you are getting into a car and the driver has been drinking call a parent, a friend, or a trusted adult to pick you up.
-Hang out with people who have a positive impact in your life.
-Don’t drink and drive.
-Take the pledge to your school and raise awareness.
-Be the person that does the right thing!
-Be safe! Stay alive!

In support of all love: Guest Peer Leader Blog Post by Hannah Davis

These last few months have been filled with tragic deaths, all of which could have been avoided if only our society was more understanding and less homophobic. We lost nine youth recently, including Seth Walsh from California, Asher Brown from Texas, Felix Sacco from Massachusetts, and Caleb Nolt from Indiana. I for one am appalled and saddened that these teens feel so stigmatized that they felt suicide was the only option.

You’d think that by now we would have overcome these biases and found ways to accept those who are different from us. But is it that much of a shock when in this day and age we continue to ban gay marriage, say things like “that’s so gay”, have ignorant beliefs such as “being gay is a choice” and have people espousing the idea that being gay is an abomination that goes against the bible and God.

Who is saying this? Is it only those who are religious? Or people who have grown up with these ideas all their lives?

No. As much as we might like to group those who are anti-gay activists into a neat little group, we can’t. People of all races, religions, ages, social classes, education, and ethnicities may have these negative views. Even though every new generation is showing a reduction in biases regarding racism, sexism, and sexual orientation, we still see younger people who are stuck in these prejudicial ways.

What is distressing about this to me is that there are very few truly safe and welcoming places for those in the LGBTQQI community to be open about their sexual orientation without being afraid of hate crimes, discrimination, and violence. While changes are being made by groups such as FCKH8, Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance, the "It Gets Better" project, and various gay pride parades, Americans still struggle with the idea of being open minded and accepting of homosexuality.

I want to know why people are so bigoted. Why must the majority put down those who are already under-represented? Will society as a whole eventually understand that there is no difference between heterosexual and homosexual couples? How long will it take for society to realize that ALL love for one another is precious and sacred? And perhaps most importantly, I wonder if the discrimination will ever end.

My belief is that yes, we will one day live in a country that is welcoming to all sexual orientations. It will be a struggle at every step, but each small victory for those who are being stigmatized is worth the fight.

As Abraham-Hicks once said, “A belief is only a though you continue to think. A belief is nothing more than a chronic pattern of thought, and you have the ability – if you try even a little bit – to begin a new pattern, to tell a new story, to achieve a different vibration, to change your point of attraction.” These empowering words give me hope that every time a person protests against abuse and mistreatment of the LGBTQQI community, we will slowly change the minds of others. By educating the public and promoting awareness, love, and compassion we can take that engrained pattern and begin a new one that is more accepting.

Thinking about drinking and driving this weekend?

I shouldn't have to tell you that driving under the influence is a phenomenally bad idea, but if there was ever a weekend to be sober on the road it is Fourth of July weekend.

Although people usually consider New Years Eve to be the deadliest day on the road, Fourth of July weekend accounts for 43 percent of all alcohol related deaths. In other words, Fourth of July weekend is the deadliest weekend of the year.

It may seem like this message is purely for the young adults (21 and up) who follow the Sonoma County Peer Outreach Coalition, but there are plenty of underage drinkers getting behind the wheel too! According to the CDC, 25% of drivers ages 15 to 20 who died in motor vehicle crashes had a BAC of 0.08% or higher. Since motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among youth ages 15-20, that means over a quarter of these deaths are attributed to alcohol.

What else should you know if you are driving this weekend? Well, if you live in Sonoma County, you should be prepared for County-wide DUI checkpoints all weekend. The first is scheduled for Friday night in Santa Rosa. So, if you are driving under the influence this weekend know this:

If you are 21 or older and have a BAC of 0.08% or higher you will lose your license for 4 months.

If you are under the age of 21 and you have a BAC of 0.01% (that's barely anything at all) you will lose your license for 1 year!

The entire Sonoma County Peer Outreach Coalition wishes everyone a safe and happy Fourth of July weekend. So, how are you going to stay safe this weekend? Comment on our Facebook page and let us know and you will be entered into our contest of the month! We can't wait to hear your tips!