Bucs Against Drunk Driving is hosting “Alcohol Awareness Week” Monday through Wednesday to teach students about the dangers of drunk driving and its consequences.
Monday at 7 p.m. in the D.P. Culp Ballroom, students can hear guest speaker Blake McMean tell how his involvement in a drunk-driving accident cost him his future and the chance to become a star tennis player.
Tuesday, an Alcohol Awareness Rally will be held at 10 a.m. at the Borchuck Plaza. Students will have another opportunity to hear from McMean, as well as Johnson City Police Sergeant Scotty Charrier. Charrier will speak about his sister, who died as a victim of a drunk driver.
On Wednesday, BADD will have a booth set up on the second floor of the Culp Center with alcohol awareness information for students and giveaways.
Having the event in the week leading up to spring break, BADD hopes to keep the consequences of drinking and driving fresh on students’ minds during a time that is known for fatalities from intoxicated drivers.
Lindsay Payne, president of BADD, said that on average 1,700 students die annually in alcohol-related incidents. The group hopes to keep this number from growing larger by informing students that drunk-driving is not only a bad choice, but there are real people whose lives have been affected by this.
“Ideally, it would be nice for students to recognize that we are not invincible. Alcohol is a problem among people our age. We want them to make good choices,” said Payne.
BADD has open meetings every Monday at 8 p.m. in Nicks Hall, Room 134. After “Alcohol Awareness Week” the group plans to help with Relay for Life.
In the fall, BADD went on a “roll call” to local police stations in Jonesborough, Johnson City and Bristol. They brought the police officers food and each station received a plaque recognizing them for their hard work in the community.
Payne says that “Alcohol Awareness Week” will have a positive effect on students. “It will make a difference. All that matters is if we can save one life.

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