Watching her Mom launch the MADD Kimberley/Cranbrook branch got Katey Sigurdson thinking. Why can’t my high school have one too?
And so the Grade 10 student got to work starting a Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD) branch at Selkirk Secondary School – the first of its kind in B.C.
“I’ve been around MADD for quite some time,” she said, referring to her Mom Katryna Sigurdson’s work starting up the local branch.
Through that influence, Katey began to look into the potential SADD branch. She found her principal Clint Dolgopol was receptive to the idea, and this week she started announcing it to her fellow students.
“I figured, I like being involved with my community,” Katey said.
With SADD just starting up, Katey said she hopes to raise awareness to a demographic that is often hard hit by drinking and driving incidents.
“I want to bring it into our school,” she said.
The group is starting off small, but Katey said she’s had interest from her peers and outside the high school. Already Mount Baker Secondary School has contacted her to get a chapter set up there. Katey has friends over at the Cranbrook high school, which will be the perfect way to start branching out.
“The more people (involved) equals less accidents,” she said.
Eventually SADD will begin holding events at the high school. Katey’s plan is to get a few on the go this year. MADD Canada provides youth volunteers with a package that helps them get fundraising events started.
“With teacher support and student support I think I can get a couple this year,” Katey said.
Once the chapter gets underway at Selkirk, Katey has her sights set on an even bigger goal: she wants to see SADD groups all across the province.
“I want to eventually get it around the province,” she said.
For now, ribbons will be available at Selkirk Secondary School for students to tie on to their own vehicles, but if all goes well this initiative will be coming to more high schools around the province very soon.