‘There is no healing’: MADD, community leaders launch 2019 Project Red Ribbon

“If you don’t feel right, don’t drive.”

The message, delivered by Chaouki Hamka, community leader for MADD Windsor-Essex County, was clear at the 2019 Project Red Ribbon campaign kick off.

As Canadians start getting into the holiday spirit, MADD Canada and community leaders launched the campaign to raise awareness and prevent impaired driving at the LaSalle police headquarters Nov. 1

“I think in general, the messaging’s very simple. Don’t drive impaired, don’t get in a vehicle with somebody whose been drinking or doing drugs,” said Hamka.

“We want to encourage the public to make the right and responsible choices by not driving impaired whether it’s holiday celebrations, whether it’s going out for dinner, whether it’s hanging out at a friends house. Whatever the case is, there are many alternatives on how to get home safe and we need you to use those alternatives.”

Amherstburg parents Jim and Nancy Ondejko lost their youngest daughter, Jessica to a habitual drunk driver.

“You can never close the book on something like this,” said Jim. “You may be able to close some chapters of that book, but you can’t close it completely. Healing, like a wound, you can put a bandage on, but sometimes that bandage has to come off. And sometimes that bandage sticks to the wound and tears it open again. So there is no healing.”

22-year-old Jessica was a graduate of the University of Windsor with a bright future ahead of her. She was killed instantly on the morning of May 8, 2008 when an impaired driver crossed the centre line and smashed his van head-on into her car. Jessica was on her way to work.

Still suffering from the loss, the Ondejkos message was about how wrong it was that they’d lost their daughter.

“We can eliminate this senseless, preventable tragedy from happening ever again,” said Jim. “No parent should have to go through what we have, because of some selfish act committed by an impaired driver.”

Thousands of volunteers nationwide are handing out MADD Canada’s red ribbons, pins and decals across Canada to promote sober driving throughout the upcoming holiday season.

“Encourage those around you to plan ahead if they’re going to be drinking or doing drugs,” said Hamka. “Take a cab, take public transit, arrange a designated driver or plan to stay over. There are always options. ”

The red ribbon campaign runs until Jan. 6, 2020.