Region 8

Region 8

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posted January 25, 2012: Impaired driving takes the lives of four Canadians each day. Four innocent lives lost . Why? Because someone didn't have cash for a cab? Because they thought they were "fine to drive"? Neither is an excuse. There is no excuse. If you drink, then drive, you're putting more than just your own neck on the line. OSAID speaks for those who don't have a voice. All those lost in crashes across not only our province but our great nation. It is time for youth to stand up and put a stop to impaired driving. People aged 15-25. That's us. The NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF DEATH to Canadian youth is motor vehicle collisions. Its this easy, don't risk it all, find another way home. Its not just about drinking either, its drugs, texting, speeding and driving dangerously. Why risk the lives of so many with one irresponsible decision? The answer is simple. DON'T. Help OSAID stop impaired driving and you too can save lives. You may not feel like a super hero but you can still do super things, just by using your voice. Don't let your friends make senseless decisions, speak up, and be a super hero. And, don't drive impaired. Conact Brad. Contact Cole.

posted January 16, 2012: Region 8's Associate compares the number of charges in 2010 to 2011 and reminds everyone of the Christmas season's Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere (RIDE) campaign which ran from November 25 to January 1: In 2010, 51 people were charged with being over the limit or refusal. In addition, 77 warning range suspicions were issued. In 2011, there were 103 people charged with being over the limit or refusal and 83 warning range suspicions were issued as well. P.S. Conference is in 118 days! Contact Cole: region8associate@osaid.orgposted November 29, 2011: Here's a seasonal reminder about Operation Red Nose - if you find yourself in need of a ride, it's a life saver!

posted November 18, 2011: Hey everyone! I wanna start out by giving a huge welcome to our new member school Napanee District Secondary School! Welcome to the club guys and let's get the ball rolling to get some fundraisers and awareness campaigns started in your community! It would be great to see delegates from Napanee join Region 8 at Conference 2012! The Conference planning is coming along great with lots of awareness raising and fun activities for all of you will be in this year's OSAID Conference in Oakville. This is going to be an event you're not going to want to miss out on! It's gonna be loads of fun and the more the merrier. Encourage group members at your school to check out our website www.osaid.org for all conference event details and photos of last year's conference!
Get your minds and pencils ready! OSAID is looking to YOU to vote for our next great catchy slogan! The writers of the winning slogan will win either a brand new 8G IPod nano or a movie voucher. Support your favourite slogan with your vote! Check out the OSAID website for all the cool details! On November the 23rd Canada remembers. People across the nation will be remembering those who lost their lives in road crashes this year during Canada's National Day of Remembrance for Road Crash Victims. Each year 2, 200 people will die on our nation's roadways and each and every one of these deaths is preventable. Impairment, texting, speed or recklessness is a factor in number of these fatalities. How can you help? Try putting an announcement in at your school on this day, reminding everyone that we take the time to remember and honour those who have died on our roads this year and help to bring word out that OSAID is here to STOP IT. Email Brad region8@osaid.org. Email Cole region8associate@osaid.org

posted November 17, 2011: Thousand Islands Secondary School, who was participating in NSAIDD Day, had a very successful awareness campaign in which mock deaths were performed for several students in the club. The scenarios were read through the public address system and the students who were participating had their faces painted white and could not talk throughout the day. The “White-out campaign” was held to symbolize all of those who die in a day due to impaired or distracted driving. “Some people find it pretty emotional,” said a member of the OSAID chapter at the school, “We have to keep repeating that they are mock crashes throughout the day in order to not alarm anybody.”

posted October 20, 2011: We have chosen a theme for the conference and I know you will all be as excited as I am about it! Western is our 2012 Conference theme! Yeeehaww! We are always looking for new, fun ways to get everyone together to have fun in our fight against impaired driving! There is a new OSAID starter kit! This kit is interesting and easy to read so if you have a school near you that is interested in starting a chapter email OSAID or check out this link for more info! There will be a spaghetti dinner that is open to all held in Cornwall next month. The dinner will feature lots of fun activities and guest speakers and a great meal, too. The dinner is on November 23rd at 6pm at the Knights of Columbus in Cornwall. A dinner like this is always a great way to bring the community together and raise some good money and awareness. Cole is also working on a project of his own in Brockville. Bumper stickers! The stickers read "You booze, you cruise, you lose" . For more info or to order your bumper sticker please contact Cole. This is a great fundraising idea! With Halloween fast approaching another great idea for fundraisers would be a mocktail sale. If your school is having a Halloween dance your OSAID chapter can get in on it, too. Add your own spooky twist to it by making the drinks different - scary colours and fake spiders. It's really easy to make and more ideas can be found on the OSAID website. OSAID is encouraging schools to stage a 'Wrecked Car Event' to help raise awareness. Want a brochure? Contact the OSAID office. I will be contacting schools with info later in the year about a Region 8 Conference bus. If you would like to request a bus pick up point please email me Thanks Region 8! And, keep up the good work! Brad, Region 8 Representative.

posted September 20, 2011: Drinking and driving is a large issue, and I am struggling to understand why any schools might disagree with having an OSAID Chapter. Statistics may show that the number of deaths due to drinking and driving are going down but there are still groups of people who need to be informed about this life altering choice - each years' newest drivers for one! However; the schools that do have an OSAID Chapter have fellow students who refuse to join OSAID simply because they believe that we are against drinking. Drinking responsibly is one thing; we are against drinking then driving when impaired. Our mission is to spread the message, through the mouths of youth, about the dangers of drinking and driving . In order to do that, we must have many schools involved and within those schools, we must have many students involved.

posted August 19, 2011. Welcome to new Region 8 Rep, Brad and Associate, Cole. Here's Cole's first blog... A 24-year-old driver in Region 8 who survived a car crash last week, has been, among other things, charged with impaired driving. Since the law was changed in August of last year, Brockville police report that only 19 people in the area have been charged under the revised blood alcohol limit. The change in the blood alcohol limit cause d a stir last year among youth, who felt they were being unfairly targeted. I think there should be even more restrictions on young drivers because they just aren’t as informed and aware and don’t understand about the consequences of impaired driving and how much it affects the families of the victims. It is really encouraging to hear how low the number was. This past Christmas was even better. They caught zero people driving impaired over the holidays, which is great. Brad can be contacted at region8@osaid.org, Cole at region8associate@osaid.org.

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