Students from Central Alberta gathered for the Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD) Regional Conference at the BCF on Wednesday, November 16.
“Usually there is one provincial conference in either Edmonton or Calgary but this year they decided to do three, one day conferences in smaller communities,” Fritz, a local graduate, said, “Drumheller was chosen because Morrin has such a strong SADD chapter.”
The conference had students from Drumheller, Morrin, Delia, Brooks, Stettler, Trochu, Carstairs and Didsbury. Students heard speeches from Greg Drew, a retired firefighter who has plenty of experience dealing with the aftermath of impaired driving and two moms who joined forces after both lost sons to Fentanyl overdoses, Yvonne Clark and Sharon Schubert.
Constable Lucas Stewart also talked to students about drug recognition and taught students that impaired driving can happen from even legal, prescription drugs if taken wrong.
Hayden Bell, a spokesperson from the PARTY (prevent accident related trauma to youth) Program shared his story with youth of how he once was an avid athlete with a bright future in football that made a bad choice and suffered a severe brain injury in a near fatal car accident.
Students in Grades seven to 12, learned how it only takes one minute to make one bad choice that can impact them for the rest of their lives.
“Just one bad decision can affect your life and the lives of your family,” Bell said to students.
