The SADD (Students Against Drinking and Driving) Chapter at Canora Composite School has competed a successful year, according to Shawna Leson, CCS SADD advisor.
SADD maintains a clearly defined mission and purpose: student leaders dedicated to stopping impaired driving.
“Our purpose is to initiate, organize, encourage, and facilitate activities, events, and general behavior that will prevent impaired driving acts, both directly and indirectly,” said Leson.
Those prevention efforts include:
- Promoting options to individuals who are impaired so that they will not drive impaired.
- Educating the public about the legal, social, health, and safety risks, associated with impaired driving.
- Influence/initiate legislation and public policy in areas related to impaired driving.
- Providing necessary training and education to volunteers who wish to facilitate the first three purposes.
The CCS SADD Chapter continued to successfully promote awareness throughout the 2018-19 school year, said Leson.
While most of the members’ efforts and influence takes place outside of school activities, on weekends and while out with their peers, they still had the opportunity to work together as a group engaged in many activities throughout the school year.
“Many of the delegates were able to attend the provincial conference in October 2018,” said Leson. “They returned to CCS with some great ideas and ways to further get their message out to the student body and our community.”
Prior to the Christmas holidays, SADD encouraged the students of CJES Canora Junior Elementary School and CCS to create public visual reminders of the many reasons to drive safely throughout the busy Christmas Season. In conjunction with the Co-op Liquor Store, students decorated liquor bags and Co-op handed them out with its sales.
In February, CCS SADD handed out cupcakes in an awareness activity supporting other clubs and organizations that promote safe driving practices.
During the Provincial Impaired Driving Awareness Week, SADD Saskatchewan teamed up with SGI and offered CCS a presentation by Amy Kaufman.
“Amy was one of the presenters at the SADD Provincial Conference in October 2018 and therefore our students were familiar with her story and had the opportunity to chat with her in Regina after her presentation,” said Leson. “Her presentation focused on the risks and consequences associated with impaired driving, in hopes of making a positive difference to the people who hear her story.”
CCS SADD sponsored activities included: a poster contest, a recruitment station (where the membership doubled), distribution of contracts for life, statistic and facts shared throughout the school and a Smarties cookie sale (“Be a Smart Cookie – Don’t Drink and Drive.”)
As selected by the CCS SADD Chapter, the winners of the poster contest were CCS students Vicky Lei, Gracie Hamm and Alaina Roebuck. Each of the winners received a gift certificate from Gabano’s pizza and an iTunes gift card. Prizes were donated by Leson’s Funeral Home.
In May, just before the long weekend, SADD members placed posters around the community to wish all students, staff and families in the community a safe, enjoyable long weekend.
SADD ended the year with a windup where delegates made cards and placed water bottles for the 2019 graduating students of CCS. They were then treated to BYOB splits (build your own banana splits) which they shared with CCS SADD Chapter’s RCMP liaison, Cst. Robert Gatenby.
“The windup concluded with our last RCMP Roadside check stop for the year,” said Leson. “Two Canora RCMP members, Cst. Gatenby and Cst. Kari Pettinger set up the check stop, providing SADD members with the opportunity to share their message and wish drivers a safe and enjoyable summer. Our SADD Chapter greatly appreciated the opportunity to work with the Canora Detachment throughout the school year and feels immensely supported by the partnership we have formed with the members of the detachment.”
Leson said among those making significant contributions to CCS SADD during the year were:
SADD Saskatchewan, SGI, Canora RCMP, Canora Gateway Co-op, Town of Canora, CCS SRC (Students’ Representative Council) and Leson’s Funeral Home.
Leson and CCS SADD members wish all CCS staff, students, parents and community members a safe summer.
“Remember, friends don’t let friends drink and drive.”
