A few hours ago my wife Ashley and I sat through a funeral for a man from our church, Gary Lommason. A military veteran and casino security officer, Gary was a simple man who loved people and dropped everything on a whim to serve friends and strangers a like. As we sat through an open forum of family and friends sharing about Gary’s life people kept using the words like: angel, hero, selfless, and a great family man. Gary’s life was taken tragically last week Monday as he was riding his bicycle to work when a drunk driver drove up onto the sidewalk and struck Gary. He was drug under this vehicle to a horrible death. Las Vegas lost a great man that afternoon.
Gary’s wife Bobby and daughter Arennia helped me in the two42 bookstore bi-weekly for the last 2 years (and more before I came on staff). They are tremendous family and my heart is broken for them. For me personally, Gary is the first person I have known that was killed by a drunk driver. It is not something I have experienced and I am wrestling through what I can do to make a difference in our community about this tragic accident. My wife has had more than one experience with drunk drivers. She lost someone as close as a sister a few years ago in another horrific accident. Ashley’s heart is broken for the Mantini’s, Lommason’s and other families who have lost loved ones to the selfish and intolerable act of drunk driving.
My wife is fed up with seeing people die at the hands of wreckless individuals. I am too. But lets face it, we live in the biggest party on the planet. Clubs and 24-hour bars line Las Vegas Boulevard and sprinkle the corners of countless streets in Las Vegas, not to mention the rest of the United States. We know that it is nearly impossible to stop people from drinking, but is there a way to help curb the amount of people who drive after they drink too much. Ashley wants to start a non-profit organization that provides free transportation to patrons at bars, restaurants and clubs throughout Las Vegas. Here is an excerpt from a note she posted on Facebook:
It will be called Beauties Against Drunk Driving, B.A.D.D.
This organization will not just be about raising awareness, but it will be fully hands on. We will go into the bars sober, socialize with people, and offer rides home. The organization will offer free rides home, raise awareness, hold FUN fundraiser events, and really be in the community. The idea is not to be against drinking, but to be against murder, ie- drinking and driving. Women involved in the organization will not be put in harms way…. my first idea is that men will drive men home and women will drive women…..but the girls will be the ones in the bars and clubs socializing and stopping people from driving home drunk. Let’s face it…”sexy” sells in this town (and everywhere), so let’s use this to our advantage. I would be putting together marketing plans and have a team of “B.A.D.D. girls”… beautiful ladies who will promote the organization and its mission. Let’s market the sex appeal behind safe drinking! It’s sexy to NOT drink and drive!!!!! This is all very preliminary, but I have my heart set. I will get this started, even if it just starts with my car, me and my husbands free time, and heading to the bars. What do YOU think?
We are just brainstorming this idea today! Please help us by chiming in with any thoughts or ideas? Things that we may not have thought through? (Insurance, safety concerns, etc) Do you have something like this in your town? Do you know someone who has a ministry, non-profit, or church that offers these services? Please contact us at baddgirlsorg@gmail.com or follow us on Twitter at @BADDgirlsorg . We will make a difference even if it is just my wife and I driving people home on our days off. Something has to change.
