On Feb. 19, Team DUI presented two presentations at Clear Lake High School for juniors and seniors. The presentations were heartfelt and you could have heard a pin drop as each presenter shared their personal stories.
The students were mesmerized as tears dropped from some students” eyes and others with a blank face in shock at the stories shared. The personal stories shared of a loved one who was lost due to a DUI driver, or another left in a wheelchair due to the decision he made as a DUI driver, others as a first responder and the lives in which are taken with one fatal decision to drink and drive or the use of other drugs to impair oneself and the people who are affected in our lives.
The presentation is about choice and consequence! The choice one makes sometimes as a split-second decision. The consequences that can affect us for the rest of our lives and those around us. Team DUI knows that not everyone will listen and not everyone will even take what they do seriously, but they feel if only one student stops and thinks twice it means the world to a lot of people and saves a life. Among those who were present included Judy Thein, Team DUI founder and mayor of the City of Clearlake; Officer Steve Tanguay with the California Highway Patrol, Leslie Thomas, Shane Idland and Karen Petz. I thank them for taking the time out of their busy days and spending it on our campus. We probably will never know those who will be saved but the feeling of being able to have a wonderful program and great people who are willing to take the time just shows how great our community is and responds collaboratively.
Stephanie Green
Lakeport Police Department
SRO of the Lakeport Unified School District
