Candle flames flickered bravely in the chill air Wednesday night
outside the Community and Cultural Center as a group of concerned
citizens – adults, teens, children and even a dog – joined together
to remember the victims of drunk drivers and to raise awareness of
the dangers of drinking and driving.
MORGAN HILL
Candle flames flickered bravely in the chill air Wednesday night outside the Community and Cultural Center as a group of concerned citizens – adults, teens, children and even a dog – joined together to remember the victims of drunk drivers and to raise awareness of the dangers of drinking and driving.
Signs carried by participants proclaimed: “Addiction is not a moral issue, it’s a disease,” “Every 28 minutes a drunk driver kills in the U.S,” “Friends don’t let friends drink and drive,” “Remember those affected by drunk drivers.”
The group of more than 25 included Morgan Hill Mayor Steve Tate and Police Chief Bruce Cumming, as well as several out-of-towners who had heard about the event and wanted to join in.
Organizers hoped to raise awareness of the issue in advance of the annual Avoid the 13 campaign which kicks off today. Law enforcement agencies all over Santa Clara County are stepping up DUI enforcement during the holiday period, typically a dangerous time of year on the roadways.
Wednesday evening’s vigil was a collaboration between the Community Substance Abuse Prevention Partnership and the Morgan Hill Police Department. Francisco Dominguez, coordinator for the partnership, said he was pleased at the turnout, especially the number of teenagers who participated.
Bill Nolan, the executive director of the Nolan Foundation, a community advocacy organization promoting community collaboration and safety awareness, came from Milpitas to attend the vigil.
“It’s really good to see young people taking a step forward to stop drinking and driving,” he said.
Mark Soto, a substance abuse counselor in Santa Cruz County, said he was invited to the vigil by a friend, and could relate the anti-DUI holiday message as in his work he sees people struggling with the devastating effects of drinking and driving.
He told the teens in the crowd that their participation in the event was a form of taking control, rather than allowing alcohol or drugs to take control of them.
Cumming told the crowd that the number of DUI accidents and arrests is “ridiculous for a town of this size.” He added that there were 10 DUI arrests the previous weekend. “Too many families are affected,” he said.
A seven-minute video presentation followed the vigil. The crowd moved inside the community center to watch a DVD titled “This Place – Morgan Hill”, which was produced by the youth advocates with the partnership from Sobrato High School. The DVD was written and filmed by and stars local youth. It’s about challenges posed by underage drinking and about local solutions in our community.
The nine teenagers spent 30 hours over three days filming footage they edited down to create the DVD. They conducted man-on-the-street interviews and talked with both Tate and Cumming. They asked teenagers if they thought there was a drinking problem in Morgan Hill, and all answered “yes.” The teens then asked their peers to rate how easy it is for minors to obtain alcohol, on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being “extremely easy,” and their responses were all 7 and above.
The advocates said they want to make other teens aware, hopefully to prevent underage drinking and drinking and driving. Through their presentation, they explained Morgan Hill’s social host ordinance and how it could help prevent underage drinking. The DVD ended with the teens saying, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step; this is our step.”
