2010 Walk Like MADD Raises 5,000 for MADD Orange County
Despite impressive turnout, fundraising efforts fall short of goal.
Newport Beach, CA, May XX, 2010 – Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Orange County today announced it raised approximately 5,000 at its recent 2010 Walk Like MADD event which was held on Saturday, May 8, in Huntington Beach. Despite an impressive turnout of 1,212 registered walkers who averaged 3.2 miles, and in spite of close to 2,000 people in attendance, this year’s fundraising efforts fell short of the overall goal of 7,000. MADD representatives say the economy took a heavy toll on this year’s fundraising initiatives, despite the significant level of participation.
“While we’re extremely grateful for the support and overwhelming involvement of this year’s Walk Like MADD participants, the bottom line is we fell short of our goal due in large part to current economic conditions,” said Mary Beth Griffin, Executive Director of MADD Orange County. “We still desperately need ongoing donations throughout the year in order to avoid cutting important programs for drunk driving victims and their families.”
Each year, MADD Orange County has the largest walk goal of any MADD chapter in the nation, and each year, Walk Like MADD Orange County raises more funds than any other MADD walk event. Because Orange County sets the bar for the rest of the nation’s Walk Like MADD fundraisers, event directors in this county are concerned it could mean a sign of things to come for other MADD chapters in other areas of the country.
“Walk Like MADD Orange County usually sets the pace for the rest of the nation,” said Griffin. “Our goal is to work closely with other chapters throughout California, as well as other states, to collaborate on ideas and to implement best practices to keep donations coming in for the rest of the year – donations that can adequately fund the programs we offer.”
Griffin points out that even though the overall fundraising goal wasn’t met, three teams pulled out all the stops to raise the most of any others during this year’s 5K walk. They were Team Trout, Team BISNAR
CHASE and Team Jog for Joy for Joey, raising an impressive ,947 collectively. What’s more, Griffin says this year’s event couldn’t have happened if it weren’t for the generous support of its corporate sponsors listed below.
Presenting Sponsor
Arco/BP
Designated Driver Sponsor
BISNAR
CHASE California Personal Injury Attorneys
Corporate Sponsor
Emulex
Media Sponsor
Parenting OC Magazine
Take Action Sponsor
Watt, Tieder, Hoffar & Fitzgerald, L.L.P.
Griffin says MADD Orange County is gearing up for next year’s event – scheduled for May 7, 2011 –with plans to increase the number of walkers and attendees, and to expand the event’s activities and entertainment.
“Obviously our main goal is to top this year’s fundraising total. We can’t do that, however, without the continued help and support of victims, individuals and organizations in and around Orange County.”
To donate to MADD Orange County, visit http://Support.MADD.org/WLMOC and click on “Donate,” or send an automatic donation by texting OC to 90999.
About MADD
MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) is a non-profit organization founded in 1980 by Candace Lightner in Sacramento, California after her daughter was killed by a drunk driver. The driver who struck and killed her daughter had two previous convictions for Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) and was out on bail for a drunk driving hit-and-run only two days prior. Today, MADD has over 600 local chapters across the United States and is the largest crime victims’ assistance program in the world with more than three million members and supporters. Since MADD’s inception drunk driving related deaths have declined by 43 percent. MADD’s commitment is to eliminate drunk driving through public awareness, victim assistance, youth programs, and public policy. MADD’s mission statement “to stop drunk driving, support victims of this violent crime and prevent underage drinking,” is indicative of their new additional focus on reaching out to the nations’ youth.
# # # # #
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (Orange County)
