We Are Here to Keep Kids Alive!

Dear Friend in Safety,

We each have a purpose in life. At KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25, our purpose is simply to Keep Kids Alive.

You can help us to realize our purpose by making your year-end tax-deductible donation to KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25 at KKAD25 Donate.

Why?

Because…

…when someone speeds down the street in front of your home and you want to send a positive message, KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25 is here.

…when a loved one dies in a traffic incident, KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25 is here.

…when your neighborhood needs a presentation on how to slow down traffic, KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25 is here.

…when your community is ready to engage citizens in creating a culture of safe driving in neighborhoods, and beyond, KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25 is here.

…when your local high school decides to lead the way in educating and engaging students, and even your whole community, to promote safe driving habits, KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25 is here.

…when your community commits to create Safe Routes to Schools for all children, KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25 is here.

…when your local grade/middle school and PTA/PTO is ready to engage students and their families in leading the way in traffic safety, KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25 is here.

…when your business wants to let people know that you care about keeping everyone safe on our roadways, KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25 is here.

…when tailgating is a problem, KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25 is here.

…when you want to encourage everyone to buckle up, KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25 is here.

…when you are concerned about stop-sign running, KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25 is here.

…when your community, county, or state is ready to create a comprehensive traffic safety campaign to help change the way we drive so that we become the solution to decreasing traffic deaths and injuries, KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25 is here.

…when you want to show you care, KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25 is here.

As the New Year is upon us, we ask you to be here for us, just as we are here for you. Click Here to Make Your Donation to support our mission. Your generosity assures that we will continue to be here for you in 2010 and beyond.

You also have the option to send a check to:

Keep Kids Alive Drive 25
12418 C Street
Omaha, NE 68144

Thanks for your support. Your generous giving keeps kids living.

All the best to you and your family in the New Year!

In safety,
Tom Everson
KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® - A Non-Profit "For Action" Organization 501(c)(3)
402-334-1391
kkad25@kkad25.org
www.KeepKidsAliveDrive25.org

PS - For more information, please click on our KKAD25 GuideStar Non-Profit Report

Keep Kids Alive - What is Your Driving Force?

Dear Partners in Traffic Safety,

The New Year is upon us. This is a time when many of us reflect upon just what is the "driving force" that propels us forward as we live out our unique mission as traffic safety advocates. Is our driving force the loss of a loved one due to a traffic incident? Is it the love of our own children or grandchildren? Is it concern for protecting lives by enforcing traffic laws? Is it because we are committed to getting technology out into the mainstream that can save lives and prevent injuries? Is it concern for personal and public health in a commitment to provide safe routes to schools for all children to walk or bike? Is it because we are absolutely committed to supporting teens in creating safe driving environment by working with school, faith-based, or youth civic groups?

Whatever your motivation; whatever drives you, Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 welcomes your partnership in integrating our campaigns into your mission in 2010, and beyond. Find the information you need to make a difference at www.keepkidsalivedrive25.org/. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

In safety,
Tom Everson
Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 – A Non-Profit “For Action” Organization
http://www.keepkidsalivedrive25.org/

Let it Snow: By the Numbers - Keep Kids Alive!

Dear Friends in Safety,

12 – The predicted depth in inches of snowfall in Omaha, Nebraska (the home base for KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25) today. With numbers – like snow depth, wind speed, wind chill - flying around like snowflakes today, it seems a good time to look at the numbers behind KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® in 2009. Here goes!

• 89 – Communities that initiated/expanded their Keep Kids Alive campaigns. These include our first campaigns in Idaho – Pocatello – and in the Bahamas.
• 1,100+ - Number of communities that have initiated a campaign thus far – represents 48 States, 2 Canadian Provinces, and the Bahamas.
• 75 – Current number of votes KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25 has received in the Chase Community Giving Challenge. Vote for KKAD25 right now at KKAD25 Chase Community Giving. The contest to qualify to win $25,000 to support our mission ends this Friday, December 11th.
• 14,400 – The amount of money raised by six students in the Colts Neck High School (NJ) Law Enforcement and Justice Program through their first “Keep Kids Alive 5K – Run Faster, Drive Slower” road race. The money is being used to seed KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® in Monmouth County communities. A new class of seniors is planning the 2nd Annual 5K for the spring of 2010.
• 32 – The number of family members – sons, daughters, moms, dads, brothers, sisters, friends – we ran in memory of on our 3rd Annual “Run to Remember” as part of the Pike’s Peak Ascent Trail Race in Colorado. We will run in memory of even more loved ones in 2010. We welcome sponsors to underwrite the cost of “Run to Remember” t-shirts for the members of all families whose loved ones we run to remember.
• 4 – Number of runners who raised funds for KKAD25 through a road or trail race this year – Austin Marathon and Pike’s Peak Ascent Trail Race. Check out how you can do so this year at Make Every Run and Ride One to Remember!
• 2,147 – Supporters who have joined our KKAD25 Facebook Cause Page
• 9 – Current number of corporate donors supporting our mission. These include Ford Motor Company Fund’s Driving Skills for Life, High Point/Teachers’ Insurance of NJ, GEICO, Wells Fargo Bank, US Bank, Safeco Insurance, Polivka International, Central States Insurance, and JDJ Sales, LLC
• 123 – Number of individuals who have donated to support our mission through the KKAD25 Donor Page or Network for Good (13 of whom are monthly donors).
• 2 – Number of new laws inspired by the mission of KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25. 1 in Miami Lakes, Florida in memory of Shaye Martin and 1 in Texas, an outgrowth of earlier legislation (2005) in memory of Kyle Foster.
• 2 – Also the number of our supporters who invited family and friends to make a donation to KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25 in honor of their birthday this year.
• 1 new campaign, It’s Not A Race! Create Space©, initiated in memory of James Davis.
• 1 – Represents you; the one person who can make a difference each day to make roadways safer. Continue to be aware and drive with care throughout the holidays and into the New Year.

Thank you all for your support and efforts on behalf of KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25®, and the best to you and all your loved ones in this Holiday Season.

“Don’t let the two minutes you ‘save’be the last two minutes of someone’s life.”David Townsend (Tia’s Dad).

In safety,
Tom Everson

KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® - A Non-Profit "For Action" Organization 501(c)(3)

402-334-1391

kkad25@kkad25.org

www.KeepKidsAliveDrive25.org

5 Ways to Keep Kids Alive in 2010

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
Margaret Mead

As the Holiday Season unfolds, it is time to reflect upon and remember those loved ones who mean the most to us. KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® invites you to bring a deeper meaning to the Holidays in your home and in your hometown. Here are 5 ways to do so:

• Plan to begin a KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25 campaign in your community. All the resources to do so are free at KKAD25 Campaign Start-up.
• Purchase a KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® yard sign to send to a relative or friend so that they can post the message in their neighborhood. You can do so today at KKAD25 Yard Signs. A free KKAD25 trash can decal comes with each sign. The life of a child saved could be your child, grandchild, niece or nephew.
• VOTE to help save lives at KKAD25 Chase Community Giving Challenge. It costs nothing but a few seconds of your time, so don't delay, vote today! (Log-in through Facebook. Click on “Become a Fan.” Click to vote. Thanks!)
• Donate in memory of a family member or on behalf of a child you love so that others may live at KKAD25 Donate.
• Invite your business to become a sponsor/partner for the mission of KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25 locally or nationally. Sponsorships are available for yard signs, trash can decals, educational resources, and more to help support our mission and highlight your business’s commitment to roadway safety. Call 402-334-1391 or e-mail kkad25@kkad25.org.

Thanks to each of you for giving so generously of your time, commitment, and resources – financial and otherwise – to keep alive the mission of KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25 in your community this year.

“Don’t let the two minutes you ‘save’ be the last two minutes of someone’s life.”David Townsend (Tia’s Dad).

In safety,
Tom Everson - KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® - A Non-Profit "For Action" Organization 501(c)(3)402-334-1391 kkad25@kkad25.org http://www.keepkidsalivedrive25.org/

Keep Kids Alive Drive 25® and related logos and slogans (Be Aware! Drive With Care®, Check Your Speed®/No Need To Speed®, Stop! Take 3 To See®, Stop Means Stop®, Seat Belts-FASTENATING!®, and It’s Not A Race! Create Space©) are registered trademarks/copyrights of Keep Kids Alive Drive 25, P.O. Box 45563 Omaha, Nebraska, 68145. No other entities may use these or similar marks without prior permission. Call 402-334-1391 for information.

Epidemics - The Swine Flu, Traffic Deaths, and Keep Kids Alive Drive 25

5000 Americans have died in the past 9 months from H1N1 - the swine flu - according to data collected by the Centers for Disease Controls. Clearly, from all accounts, an epidemic is unfolding.

During this same period of time, over 27,000 American daughters, sons, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends have died on our roadways. Yet, where are the lead stories and headlines proclaiming that an epidemic ending in death for many thousands of our loved ones happens on our streets each day? Where is the outrage? Where is the resolve to address this epidemic and to drive down the numbers of those dying in traffic incidents?

We commit millions, and perhaps billions, of dollars in resources to educate citizens about what can be done to avoid contracting, or to be inoculated against, the flu virus. Can we similarly commit to educating and engaging citizens in behaviors that protect themselves, and all of us, from injury and death on the road?

5000 lives lost represent tragedy and heartbreak for every family who has experienced the death of a loved one. 27,000 deaths ought to move us beyond tears and into action Keep Kids Alive Drive 25® is a part of the solution. You can be an integral part of putting an end to death and destruction on streets in your community by:

• Remembering, “Seat Belts-FASTENATING!®” Buckle up everyone, every trip, every time. Ask and answer the questions, "Who do you love?" and "Who loves you?" Answering these questions provides the best reasons we will ever have for buckling up.
• Obeying the speed limit, and adjust downward upon the presence of children, pedestrians of all ages, and bicyclists.
• Observing Stop! Take 3 To See® at every Stop sign - that is, come to a complete stop, look left, look right (for both vehicles and pedestrians), and look left again. Make sure the coast really is clear before proceeding. Remember, 200 pedestrian deaths and over 17,000 injuries occur each year as a result of Stop-sign running.
• Remembering, "It’s Not A Race! Create Space©." 29% of crashes occur because drivers do not leave enough space between themselves and the vehicle in front of them. Use the 4 second rule to help you maintain enough space. Find a fixed object ahead - a pole, a bridge. Note when the vehicle in front of you passes this object. Then count one-thousand one, one-thousand two, one thousand three, one thousand four. If you pass that object before you count to one thousand four, adjust your speed to create more space. Space is our friend on the road. Having enough space within which to react could save lives - even your own.
• Observing all traffic signals and signs. Make a habit of doing so. This along with good space management will reduce the number of crashes, and subsequently the number of injuries and deaths.
• Not using your cell phone while driving. Deaths occur each day because of "Cell-a-brating" while driving, or by driving while "Intexticated." Pull over to a parking lot if you must have that conversation or send that text. Your life, and the lives of others around you, are worth this small sacrifice.

To sum up, " Be Aware! Drive With Care®." Each and every action we take behind the wheel can indeed be a matter of life and death. Learn more about what you can do at http://www.keepkidsalivedrive25.org/

And, remember the wisdom of David Townsend, whose 10 year-old daughter Tia was hit and killed because a driver could not be bothered with stopping at a marked crosswalk to allow her and a friend to cross unharmed (and actually pulled around a stopped car in order to get by).

"Don't let the two minutes you save be the last two minutes of someone's life."

Safe motoring!
Tom Everson
Founder - Keep Kids Alive Drive 25® – A Non-Profit “For Action” Organization

Keep Kids Alive Drive 25® and related logos and slogans (Be Aware! Drive With Care®, Check Your Speed®/No Need To Speed®, Stop! Take 3 To See®, Stop Means Stop®, Seat Belts-FASTENATING!®, and It’s Not A Race! Create Space©) are registered trademarks/copyrights of Keep Kids Alive Drive 25, P.O. Box 45563 Omaha, Nebraska, 68145. No other entities may use these or similar marks without prior permission. Call 402-334-1391 for information.

The Cell-a-bration is Over - Keep Kids Alive!

Thanks to Robert and Lisa, supporters of Keep Kids Alive Drive 25, who share a valuable lesson about what can happen when we drive while "Cell-a-brating."

"It's better to be careful 100 times than to be killed once" -Mark Twain

Subject: One cell phone= 3 Dead

Do you see the motorcycle?

The Honda crotch rocket rider was traveling at approximately 85 mph. The VW driver was talking on a cell phone when she pulled out from a side street, apparently not seeing the motorcycle. The riders reaction time was not sufficient enough to avoid this crash. The car had two passengers and the bike rider was found INSIDE the car with them. The Volkswagen actually flipped over from the force of impact and landed 20 feet from where the collision took place. All three involved (two in the car and the bike rider) were killed instantly. This graphic demonstration was placed at the Motorcycle Fair by the Police and Road Safety Department.

Cell-a-brate by pocketing your phone while driving. The life you save may be your own.

$5,000 PRIZE! Ford DSFL & KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25®

$5,000 PRIZE! Belt it OUT! Ford DSFL & KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25®
Wants You to Sing for Safety

Ford Driving Skills for Life (DSFL) has been a long-time supporter of KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25®. Now they are offering musically-inclined teens in your community the opportunity to create a song about traffic safety that could lead to a $5,000 prize. You can even incorporate one or more of our Keep KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® slogans into your song – Keep Kids Alive Drive 25®, Be Aware! Drive With Care®, Check Your Speed®/No Need To Speed®, Stop! Take 3 To See®, Seat Belts-FASTENATING!®, and It’s Not A Race! Create Space© .

The contest is entitled "Belt it OUT!" It is a national competition for an original safe driving song. Students must write, compose, and perform the song. Students may compete individually, or in teams of up to five (5) members. Students must be ages 15-19 and not be professional paid performers.

Students can win up to $5,000 for their submissions. The public will be invited to choose the top five finalists on the DSFL website from March 16-31st 2010, and then Kate Voegele (www.katevoegele.com/) will pick the winners.
You can find more about the competition at this link: Belt It Out! DSFL Song Contest
If you choose to incorporate our KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® slogans into your song, please e-mail us to let us know. We want to give appropriate permissions as well as to announce support for your song.

From the e-mail box:

• Oh Deer! Steer Clear!
• Most Auto Deaths from Single-car Crashes
• From a resident of Des Plaines, IL – “I was driving down Dempster/Thacker and saw the Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 signs. What a great idea! Meant to tell the police that I thought it was a super idea. I drive down that street all the time on the way to the library and forget the speed limits, great to have reminders. Someone deserves a pat on the back.” Read the press release from the Des Plaines Police Dept. at Police Launch KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25 Campaign.

Thank you for supporting KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25®

Thanks to all who supported KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® through America's Giving Challenge. We raised over $1,500 and finished in the top 200 out of over 7,500 charities registered for the Challenge. We also have registered over 2,100 supporters of KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25 on our Facebook Cause Page. You can sign on today at our Facebook Cause Page.

However, the real challenge remains - to demonstrate behavior behind the wheel each day that keeps us and others safe. You are invited to find out how to make a real difference in your community - check out the information on our web site at Campaign Start-up Information-Click Here.

You can also make a donation through our site to help to make our mission real for all who care about creating safe roadways in our neighborhoods, and beyond, and for all who care about families who have experienced the death of a loved one due to a traffic incident. Click on our DONATE link. Your generous giving keeps kids living.

“Don’t let the two minutes you ‘save’be the last two minutes of someone’s life.”David Townsend (Tia’s Dad).

In safety,
Tom Everson

KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® - A Non-Profit "For Action" Organization 501(c)(3) 402-334-1391 kkad25@kkad25.org www.KeepKidsAliveDrive25.org

Speeding Triples the Odds of Crashing - Keep Kids Alive!

“Speeding triples the odds of crashing.” (AAA Foundation on Traffic Safety)

KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® Weekly Speed-Reader

Did You Know?

“The biggest factors in fatal crashes are alcohol impairment and speeding. So to the extent that communities do a good job of reducing alcohol impairment and speeding, that should show up in fatal crash rates." (Anne McCartt, senior vice president for research at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety - See Motor Vehicle Deaths-America's Safest Cities).

Speeding is the #1 focus of KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25®. Your community can lead the way in addressing this behavior. Contact kkad25@kka25.org to learn how you can engage your community in creating safer environments on all roadways. Resources to start your campaign can be downloaded at KKAD25 Campaign Start-Up. It’s never too early to get started.

KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25 and Road Safety in the News

• Remembering Melissa Tindell
• Shorewood Campaign Aims for Safer Drivers
• Drivers Distracted When Near Schools – Integrate KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® in to your local Safe Routes to Schools initiatives. Find out how - e-mail kkad25@kkad25.org. Find your State Safe Routes contact at State SRTS Contacts.
• From the Foxboro, MA Community Calendar - Holiday Craft Fair. Proceeds to benefit Keep Kids Alive – Foxboro, Foxboro’s traffic safety campaign. Let us know about your fundraisers as well – kkad25@kkad25.org.

Help KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25 Make the Top 100
(Out of over 7,000 Non-Profits Registered)

Only 24 hours left to support Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 - America's Giving Challenge. Donate $10.00, or more, today at Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 - America's Giving Challenge to support our mission. Invite family, friends, and colleagues to do the same. Challenge ends November 6th, so log on today at Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 - America's Giving Challenge.

Thanks! Your generous giving keeps kids living.

“Don’t let the two minutes you ‘save’ be the last two minutes of someone’s life.”David Townsend (Tia’s Dad).

In safety,
Tom Everson
KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® - A Non-Profit "For Action" Organization 501(c)(3)
402-334-1391
kkad25@kkad25.org
www.KeepKidsAliveDrive25.org

Remember Kyle - Keep Kids Alive on Halloween!

Dear Friends in Safety,

This week our “Speed-Reader” is dedicated to the life of Kyle Foster, a 10 year-old who died as a result of being hit by a neighbor while crossing the street on Halloween night in 2003. Please remember to “Be Aware! Drive With Care®” on each and every roadway this October 31st -one pf the most dangerous nights for children when it comes to traffic incidents.

Kyle Foster, Mesquite, Texas
Our actions behind the wheel can make all the difference – both for those around us and for ourselves as well. No one wants to be the person who hits another person. Let’s make sure our driving behaviors insure the safety of all we encounter on the road.

Helpful links as Halloween approaches include:

• Radio Interview with Tom Everson, Founder of KKAD25 –Scroll and click on audio for October 20th


• KKAD25 Parenting Tips


• Good News from Illinois - Des Plaines Police Launch KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25 Campaign

Our friend Sal from Pleasanton, California share this timely reminder as he prepares for Halloween this year.

KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® Reflective Stickers

With Halloween in mind, we have a limited supply of KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® reflective stickers (2” X 3”) that can be used to help make children more visible while trick-or-treating. For every $25.00 donation through Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 - America's Giving Challenge or through our web site at KKAD25 Donate, you will receive 25 reflective stickers. To receive by October 31st, please donate by Tuesday, October 27th. These stickers can also be attached to backpacks, bike helmets, bikes, and jackets to help make kids more visible throughout the year.

America’s Giving Challenge Update:

The Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 - America's Giving Challenge continues until November 6th. Currently KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® is listed in 131st place out of over 5,500 participating non-profits. You have donated over $1,100 so far.

We would love to finish in the top 100 organizations for number of donors by the time the Challenge ends. Please consider a gift of $10.00 to help us to reach our goal and to keep our mission moving forward. Log on today at Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 - America's Giving Challenge. Remember, it is the number of donors who support our mission that makes the biggest difference! Please invite family, friends, and business colleagues to join in as well.

Thanks to all who are supporting the mission of KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25®. Your generous giving keeps kids living.

“Don’t let the two minutes you ‘save’be the last two minutes of someone’s life.”David Townsend (Tia’s Dad).

In safety,
Tom Everson - KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® - A Non-Profit "For Action" Organization 501(c)(3)402-334-1391 kkad25@kkad25.org

http://www.keepkidsalivedrive25.org/

Keep Kids Alive - In the News, Teen Driving, Free Signs!

Dear Friends in Safety,

A couple of quick, yet timely, notes to start the week. These include:

• KKAD25 In the Media
• National Teen Driver Safety Week
• FREE SIGNS FOR YOUR COMMUNITY!

KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® in the Media. Click underlined links to log on.

• Tuesday, October 20th, KROC, 660 AM in Omaha will air an interview with Tom Everson, Founder of KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® at Noon Central Time. You can log-on to listen at KCRO.
• New ‘Keep Kids Alive” Zone in Wildwood - Wildwood, Missouri is one of two communities in the U.S. (Hazelwood, Missouri being the other) that have established “KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25” zones on neighborhood streets. Contact kkad25@kkad25.org to find out how your city can join them.

National Teen Driver Safety Week – October 18th – 24th

This week is "National Teen Driver Safety Week." Coinciding with this we received news from students in the Criminal Justice and Law program at Colts Neck High School in New Jersey that they will take on their 2nd “Keep Kids Alive 5K – Run Faster, Drive Slower” fund/awareness raising event to continue to support growth of KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® in Monmouth County. Check out Keep Kids Alive 5K E-mail us at kkad25@kkad25.org to find out how your high school can make a difference that impacts your entire community.
Find more ideas for "National Teen Driver Safety Week,” at:

• Drive To Life – A collaboration with the National Organization for Youth Safety (http://www.noys.org/)
• CREATE A SAFE-DRIVING CULTURE IN YOUR HIGH SCHOOL(S) (Click here to learn how)
• Ford Motor Company’s Driving Skills for Life
• Teen Driver Safety-Governors Highway Safety Association
• Safer Teen Driving
• GEICO Auto Safety Library
• Ride Like A Friend

FREE SIGNS FOR YOUR COMMUNITY!

Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 - America's Giving Challenge Update

Thanks to all who contributed to our cause for Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 - America's Giving Challenge. You have donated over $1,000 thus far.

Let’s keep the momentum going as the Challenge lasts until November 6th. Here’s a way you can support the mission, and help your community at the same time.
We will support you in getting the KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25®message out in your community. Here’s how.

• The community with the greatest number of donors by November 6th will receive 25 complimentary KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® yard signs to distribute to residents. Signs will be sent to the coordinating agency in your community. Please e-mail kkad25@kkad25.org to register your community. You must register to be eligible.
• A personal option is also available. The individual who can attract the most donors by November 6th will receive 10 yard signs to share with neighbors. Again, please e-mail kkad25@kkad25.org to register.

Send out a daily challenge to your friends and relatives to see how many donations they make to support our mission. Remember, it is the number of donors that make the difference in this challenge, not the amount they donate.

Log on at Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 - America's Giving Challenge to donate today. $10.00 can turn into $1,000.00 to support our mission by helping us win one day of the challenge. Let’s make that day today!

Thanks! Your generous giving keeps kids living.

“Don’t let the two minutes you ‘save’be the last two minutes of someone’s life.”David Townsend (Tia’s Dad).

In safety,
Tom Everson

KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® - A Non-Profit "For Action" Organization 501(c)(3)

402-334-1391

kkad25@kkad25.org

www.KeepKidsAliveDrive25.org

Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 is in America's Giving Challenge—Let's win $50,000!

Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 is in America's Giving Challenge—Let's win $50,000!

Hi everyone,

Our cause, Keep Kids Alive Drive 25, just entered America's Giving Challenge, which gives us a chance to win $50,000 to support our mission.

Please donate today: Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 - America's Giving Challenge.
Your generous giving keeps kids living!

To win, between now and November 7th we have to get the most donations to our cause (every person can donate once per day and have it count as a unique donation). We can also win daily awards of $1,000 and $500 if we can get the most people to donate in any 24-hour period. The great thing about this Challenge is that it doesn't matter how much you give, but instead how much you do to encourage friends and family to get involved in our cause. We all need to come together and start promoting the cause if we want to win.

Each of us has tons of friends on Facebook who we can ask to donate to our cause. But let's think big too—can you put our cause in your email signature, can you throw a party and get people to donate through the cause when they enter, can you organize other people to go out and fundraise from all of their friends? As you reach out to your friends be sure to tell them why this cause matters to you. The possibilities are endless so let's talk about what we can do to win on the Wall of the cause or by replying to this bulletin.

I believe we can do it! But it's going to take all of us. Check out the Giving Challenge (www.causes.com), then visit our cause at Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 - America's Giving Challenge to see how we're doing so far and get involved. Donate right now by going to Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 - America's Giving Challenge. Let's win $50,000 for Keep Kids Alive Drive 25!

Thanks! And remember, your generous giving keeps kids living.

In safety,
Tom Everson
Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 - A Non-Profit "For Action" Organization 501(c)(3) www.KeepKidsAliveDrive25.org

Cultivate Courtesy, Please - Keep Kids Alive!

Dear Friends in Road Safety,

I came across this timely reminder in a recent edition of the Omaha World Herald -Cultivate Courtesy on Harvest Roads. This article reminds us not only to be courteous on country and farm roads, but also to be thankful for the work of all farmers whose efforts bring food to our tables each day.

Let’s extend the courtesy. Cultivating Courtesy on all roadways goes a long way toward protecting ourselves and everyone around us. When we practice courtesy on our neighborhood streets, we help create a more pleasant (and safer) environment in which to ride, as well as for people to walk and bike. As fall unfolds, may we each take time to appreciate the natural beauty that surrounds us and the people who care for us, as we navigate the highways and by-ways of America – and beyond. Let's start today!

Quick Links to Vital Information:

• Check out distracted driving resources from the Governors Highway Safety Association at Cell Phones & Distracted Driving
• Integrate Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 messages into your PSAs. See New Drive to Life -PSAs for National Youth Traffic Safety Month
• Thanks to Bud Chauncy of DSAA for forwarding a sobering video clip – see 1959 Chevy Bel Air vs. the Modern Automobile. And remember, the most important safety device in any motor vehicle is you, the driver.

It is always a good time to donate to support the mission of KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25. We continue to need your financial support. Donate today at KKAD25 Donate. Your generous giving keeps kids living!

And remember,

“Don’t let the two minutes you ‘save’ be the last two minutes of someone’s life.”David Townsend (Tia’s Dad).

In safety,
Tom Everson - KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® - A Non-Profit "For Action" Organization 501(c)(3)402-334-1391

kkad25@kkad25.org

www.KeepKidsAliveDrive25.org

Keep Kids Alive Drive 25® and related logos and slogans (Be Aware! Drive With Care®, Check Your Speed®/No Need To Speed®, Stop! Take 3 To See®, Stop Means Stop®, Seat Belts-FASTENATING!®, and It’s Not A Race! Create Space©) are registered trademarks/copyrights of Keep Kids Alive Drive 25, P.O. Box 45563 Omaha, Nebraska, 68145. No other entities may use these or similar marks without prior permission. Call 402-334-1391 for information.

Community Commitment to Keep Kids Alive!

Dear Friends in Safety,

Midweek, October 7th, is International Walk to School Day, a time to promote and celebrate the benefits of walking and biking to and from school (something that was a regular occurrence in 1960’s, but has fallen off to about 16% of students in recent years).

In addition, this week, October 5-9, is National “Drive Safely to Work Week” sponsored by the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) in partnership with EcoDrivingUSA.

These two events falling in the same week remind us that safe driving contributes not only to workplace safety and the safety of employees driving to and from work, but also helps to create safer environments for children to walk and bike to and from school.

Traffic safety is indeed a community effort. Our behaviors behind the wheel affect our own safety, the safety of passengers, and the safety of all who walk, ride, or play in environments surrounding roadways. This week is a great time for schools and businesses to join together in developing intentional plans to engage and educate citizens of all ages to create safer roadway environments for the benefit of us all. In short, make Keep Kids Alive Drive 25® the business of your business, school, and neighborhood, and whole community as you promote safe driving among employees both on and off the job and for all who walk and ride. Take your first step by integrating one or more of our initiatives into your efforts.

• Keep Kids Alive Drive 25® - Promotes observing the speed limit on residential roadways (and oftentimes school zones), and going slower due to the presence of pedestrians, cyclists, and children at play. What happens in neighborhoods and school zones makes a difference in the workplace – whether it is an employee driving to or from work or driving a company vehicle in a neighborhood.
• Stop! Take 3 To See® - Promotes the correct way to obey a Stop Sign, how to cross the street correctly, and can be used at unsignalled railroad crossings. See STOP! TAKE 3 TO SEE Flyer.
• Seat Belts-FASTENATING!® - Promotes seat belt use by drivers and passengers. It’s about people, not a ticket. For more information visit Seat Belts-FASTENATING!
• It’s Not A Race! Create Space© - Targets tailgating and safe space management between vehicles. Visit It’s Not A Race! Create Space
• Be Aware! Drive With Care® - Promotes awareness of safe driving practices on all roadways.
• Check Your Speed®/No Need To Speed® - Promotes observance of the speed limit on all roadways.

Visit KKAD25 Start-up or contact kkad25@kkad25.org/402-334-1391 to make a difference today and everyday. It’s good for your business, it’s good for your neighborhood, it’s good for your school, and it’s good for your community.

Thanks to all who have responded by donating to support the mission of KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25®. We continue to need your financial support. Donate to support the mission of at KKAD25 Donate. Your generous giving keeps kids living!

And remember,

“Don’t let the two minutes you ‘save’ be the last two minutes of someone’s life.” David Townsend (Tia’s Dad).

Tom Everson - KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® - A Non-Profit "For Action" Organization 501(c)(3) 402-334-1391 kkad25@kkad25.org www.KeepKidsAliveDrive25.org

Keep Kids Alive Drive 25® and related logos and slogans (Be Aware! Drive With Care®, Check Your Speed®/No Need To Speed®, Stop! Take 3 To See®, Stop Means Stop®, Seat Belts-FASTENATING!®, and It’s Not A Race! Create Space©) are registered trademarks/copyrights of Keep Kids Alive Drive 25, P.O. Box 45563 Omaha, Nebraska, 68145. No other entities may use these or similar marks without prior permission. Call 402-334-1391 for information.

Behave Yourself! Keep Kids Alive!

Dear Friends in Safety,

Years ago Hank Ketchum created a vintage comic of Dennis the Menace using a grappling hook to scale the front door. His mom looks on in shock and shouts, "I thought I told you to behave yourself." Without hesitation, Dennis responds, "You told me to behave myself. You didn't tell me how to behave!"

This scene captures the essence and challenge of all Keep Kids Alive Drive 25® initiatives. In short, everything we do is directed toward educating motorists, pedestrians, bike-riders, and passengers to engage in behaviors that work to keep themselves and others safe. These include observing the speed limit, buckling up, stopping at stop signs, not tailgating, crossing the street correctly, and so much more. We are committed to working with all community leaders to create ongoing public education/awareness campaigns that engage all citizens in being taught, and to demonstrate that they have learned, roadway behaviors that create safer environments for us all. In short, teaching everyone how to behave themselves on and around roadways. (Teaching is a consistent, long-term commitment - like parenting. It is not a one-time or short term fix when addressing a behavioral concern, such as speeding.)

The challenge is that at times we ourselves may not believe that behavioral change is possible when it comes to driving, riding, or walking. We may believe that the only way to get people to drive the speed limit is through enforcement or by erecting lots of stop signs (although, in context, these have their place). We may believe that the only way to get people to buckle up is by writing tickets. We may believe that the only way to get people to slow down is by re-engineering all streets where drivers speed (which may well be most every roadway in America - and beyond).

KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® believes that educating towards pro-safety behaviors begins by engaging residents in creating the kind of environment we would like to see on our neighborhood streets, as well as on our sidewalks, school zones, park areas, and our own front yards. Margaret Meade said it so well when she wrote:

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,

committed citizens can change the world.

Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

When it comes down to action, it is our behaviors behind the wheel, or while walking or riding a bike (skateboards and scooters included) that determine how safe we are, as well as how safe others are around us.

Some folks think that behavioral approaches to addressing traffic safety are ineffective; that the challenge is too overwhelming. In considering thinking such as this it is important to remember that throughout recent history, there have been visionaries who believed that we could indeed engage whole populations in changing their behavior for the good of the community. Take these two examples:

1. In 1968 the town of Haleyville, Alabama became the first in the world to initiate the 911 emergency response system. Since that time, all of America (and countries throughout the globe) have adopted the system. Someone believed that it was possible to engage and educate an entire national population in changing their phone behavior to call 911 in an emergency. 41 years later, we all have stories about how 911 has impacted our life.

2. In the '70s, if someone was committed to recycling, they would gather their newspapers, bottles, and cans and make a trip to the local recycling center. It took a little effort to do so. At some point, though, someone believed it possible to engage and educate whole populations of cities to start recycling right at home. And what happened? Cities began to implement community-wide curbside, or alley-way, recycling programs - even issuing recycling containers to all residents to encourage participation. Now recycling is commonplace in communities of all sizes throughout the U.S. Recycling cans even show up in school cafeterias, at airports, and at sporting venues.

The point is that someone believed, built upon that belief, engaged partners, and educated citizens to behave in a whole new way.

When it comes to traffic safety education, behavioral approaches work as well - when we are explicit about the behavior being taught, and when we work to actively engage citizens in making these behaviors community norms. Read about communities that have seen results when they organized, planned, and engaged their citizens in creating a behavioral difference. Visit:

• Organize to Cut Neighborhood Speeding (Traffic Safety Magazine - National Safety Council
• Yard Sign Campaign Proves Effective in Reducing Speeds on Residential Streets (The Urban Transportation Monitor)
• Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 (Law and Order Magazine)
• Neighborhood Traffic Safety-It's No Accident (Sheriff Magazine)

With this in mind, you are invited to join the "traffic revolution" committed to creating safer roadways and reducing the death rate on roadways to zero - the only acceptable goal - none of us would choose to have a loved one die in a traffic incident.

Keep Kids Alive Drive 25® is the only campaign of its kind with a national scope. Our commitment is to engage people in neighborhoods, schools, businesses, civic organizations, and faith communities to work cooperatively with law enforcement, public works, neighborhood services, city planners, and elected officials to create safe driving environments for the benefit of us all.

No one wants to be the person behind the wheel who hits someone. Let's make sure we do all that is in our power to do as individuals and whole communities to make sure this does not happen today, tomorrow, next week, next year, or 10 years from now. Join the Keep Kids Alive Drive 25® movement. Visit www.keepkidsalivedrive25.org/campaign/to get started today. Personal support is just a phone call - 402-334-1391 or e-mail kkad25@kkad25.org away.

Let's start today!

And remember,

“Don’t let the two minutes you ‘save’
be the last two minutes of someone’s life.”
David Townsend (Tia’s Dad).

In safety,
Tom Everson
KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® - A Non-Profit "For Action" Organization 501(c)(3)
402-334-1391
kkad25@kkad25.org
www.KeepKidsAliveDrive25.org

Let's Get Clicking! Keep Kids Alive!

Dear Friend in Safety,

Lots of Quick Links and Important Information to Share, So Let’s Get Clicking!

• Keep Kids Alive in Morris Township, NJ
• Seat Belts FASTENating! –Learn more at Seat Belts-Fastenating!
• Our friend Bud Chancy with the Driving School Association of the Americas sends the following:
  37,261, represents the number of people, our loved ones, who died on America’s roadways in 2008. For more complete information, visit Fatality Facts and Traffic Safety Facts
  To take action to move towards Zero Deaths on all roadways, visit Get Started-Keep Kids Alive!
• International Walk to School Day is October 7th – Take the first step with Stop! Take 3 To See. Also visit I Walk to School
• Teen Safe Driver Week is October 18th – 24th. Take the challenge to create a culture of safe driving in your high school(s), and in your community. Click here to learn how!
• Check out the latest at NOYS (The National Organizations for Youth Safety)
  Improve your driving skills at Ford Motor Company’s Driving Skills for Life site.
• Janette Fennell, our friend at Kids and Cars, will appear tonight (Tuesday, 9.22.09 - 11 pm Eastern and Pacific/10pm Central and Mountain)) on the SpikeTV show “Surviving Disaster.” Janette will talk about what to do you or a love done become trapped inside a car trunk – something we don’t often consider. For more information, visit Kids and Cars.
  Did you know?
• In the past year, KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® has supported traffic safety campaigns in 95 communities representing 25 states, 1 Canadian Province, and the Bahamas – all on less than $70,000.00 (a drop of over 40% from the preivious year). We do the very most with all that our donors and sponsors contribute. In order to make the difference we seek to make – through you, through neighborhoods, cities, schools, corporations, and civic organizations of all kinds, we need your financial support. Log on today at KKAD25 Donate to make your tax deductible contribution. Your generous giving keeps kids living. Thanks!

And remember,
“Don’t let the two minutes you ‘save’
be the last two minutes of someone’s life.”
David Townsend (Tia’s Dad).

In safety,
Tom Everson
Executive Director & Founder

KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® - A “For Action” Organization -501(c) (3)
402-334-1391
Tom@kkad25.org
www.KeepKidsAliveDrive25.org

Keep Kids Alive Drive 25® and related logos and slogans (Be Aware! Drive With Care®, Check Your Speed®/No Need To Speed®, Stop! Take 3 To See®, Stop Means Stop®, Seat Belts-FASTENATING!®, and It’s Not A Race! Create Space©) are registered trademarks/copyrights of Keep Kids Alive Drive 25, P.O. Box 45563 Omaha, Nebraska, 68145. No other entities may use these or similar marks without prior permission. Call 402-334-1391 for information.

KEEP KIDS ALIVE IN TEXAS! (and throughout America – and beyond)

September 15, 2009

Dear Keep Kids Alive Supporters,

Just a note to remind you that in Texas two significant pieces of legislation have been enacted in the past few years to help create more “people friendly” environments on neighborhood streets – this includes people who walk, run, ride bikes, and drivers as well (no one wants to be behind the wheel and hit another person).

The latest, HB 2682, allows municipalities to lower the speed limit to 25 mph if the current speed limit is deemed unsafe. This builds upon HB 87 enacted in 2005 which allowed municipalities to lower limits on specified residential roads from 30 mph to 25 mph without having to do extensive engineering studies to justify the change.

HB 87 allowed the cities of Mesquite and Coppell to lower their limits. Each utilized KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® as a key educational component to engage residents in making the change a reality. Of the change in Coppell, Jason Crawford – resident and a traffic engineer with the Texas Transportation Institute, wrote:

"My community – Coppell, Texas – made headlines two years ago as it tackled this issue. As a traffic engineer by training, I was hesitant of this program and lobbied the City Council to consider other engineering, enforcement, and education alternatives so that ‘mobility’ was maintained. I have to say that since this program was adopted and the speed limits on our streets lowered (5 mph) I do feel like I am keeping my village’s children safer, that I am more alert, that I am more in control of my vehicle, that I do share those streets with pedestrians, that my ‘mobility’ has not been greatly impeded, and that streets are not for the sole purpose of drivers in vehicles trying to make their way as quickly as they can in our hurried world."

Jason Crawford, P.E
Texas Transportation Institute

No matter where we live, we are challenged to create environments that begin with how people live each day in their neighborhoods. This includes walking, running, children playing, and riding bikes as companion activities to driving or riding in a motor vehicle. The best plans to keep people safe begin with people themselves, not with motor vehicles.

Should your community be interested in developing a comprehensive, people-centered plan for creating safe environments on and around neighborhood roadways (and school zones), please be in touch with KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25®. We welcome opportunities to share our resources so that neighborhoods, schools, law enforcement, public works, civic organizations, and businesses can partner in creating safe roadway environments for the benefit of all of us.

And remember:
Don’t let the two minutes you ‘save’
be the last two minutes of someone’s life.”
David Townsend (Tia’s Dad).

In safety,
Tom Everson
Executive Director & FounderKEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® - A “For Action” Organization -501(c) (3)
402-334-1391
Tom@kkad25.org
www.KeepKidsAliveDrive25.org – Keep up with the latest at the KKAD25 Blog.

Reminder, donate to support the mission of KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25 at KKAD25 Donate . Your generous giving keeps kids living. Thanks!

Keep Kids Alive Drive 25® and related logos and slogans (Be Aware! Drive With Care®, Check Your Speed®/No Need To Speed®, Stop! Take 3 To See®, Stop Means Stop®, Seat Belts-FASTENATING!®, and It’s Not A Race! Create Space©) are registered trademarks/copyrights of Keep Kids Alive Drive 25, P.O. Box 45563 Omaha, Nebraska, 68145. No other entities may use these or similar marks without prior permission. Call 402-334-1391 for information.

It’s People Who Survive! Keep Kids Alive!

In this week’s “Speed-Reader”

• It’s People Who Survive!
• New Communities join KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25®
• Buy 100, Get 100 Free!

It’s People Who Survive!

A survivor is a person. Sometimes this fact can get lost in describing a person as a motorist, passenger, pedestrian, or cyclist. We need to remember that people are survivors; people hit while walking, running; or riding a bike; people who are driving or are along for the ride; people like you or me, our sisters or brothers, moms and dads, and friends.

When we think of survivors in a crash, we might think of those who make it out alive, or of family members who survive those who have died. Seldom might we consider the plight of a real-life survivor who has to pick up the pieces of a shattered life and take steps to make a new life each day. This comes home graphically in a recent story in the Austin American Statesman - Jacqui Saburido Tries to Find Peace.

Jacqui’s real life story serves as a wake-up call that the decisions we make when we get behind the wheel do indeed make a difference - sometimes in ways that we never intended. The lives of two of her friends were snuffed out by an underage drunk driver, and her life was irrevocably changed forever. It is the survivors who most need our support in the wake of a tragedy.

We are reminded that over 100 families each day need our support as the lives of 102 Americans will end today because of driving while intoxicated or intexticated (Caution! Graphic YouTube video Driving While Intexticated - The Grim Reality and Live from New York! More Driving While Intexticated), speeding, running stop lights and stops signs, and not buckling up.

In the midst of trauma to victims, their families, and friends, there are whole communities that continue to commit themselves to creating a culture of safe driving. They begin in the neighborhood or the school parking lot and reach out into the whole community. KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® has been privileged to support people who lead these efforts in over 1000 communities representing 48 states to date. Many of these people are the parents and spouses of those who have died.

Recent additions to the list of communities becoming actively engaged include:

• Neighborhoods in O’Fallon, Missouri (With support of Public Works)
• Neighborhood in Barrington, Illinois
• Neighborhood in Chesterfield, Michigan
• Neighborhood in Omaha, Nebraska
• Neighborhood in Wichita, Kansas
• Neighborhood in Placerville, California
• The City of South Daytona, Florida
• The City of Johns Creek, Georgia
• The City of St. Charles, Missouri
• The City of Shorewood, Illinois

As we begin the school year and look towards International Walk to Month in October (see International Walk to School), now is the time to strengthen our “people safety” efforts to preserve lives in each and every community in America (and beyond). Give us a call at 402-334-1391 or e-mail kkad25@kkad25.org to find out how you can engage people in your hometown in being the solution to the problems we cause when we choose to speed, drink and drive, ride unbuckled, run stop signs and stop signs, drive while intexticated, and more. The goal is to make safe driving, walking, and riding the norm in your community. Visit Keep Kids Alive Start-up to begin today.

GET THE MESSAGE OUT! KEEP KIDS ALIVE!

Here’s how your community can benefit and save money at the same time.
Take the KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® message curbside!
Buy 100, get 100 free (while supply lasts)

• KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® Trash Can Decals - Click Here! (Can request Spanish decals as well)
• Be Aware! Drive With Care® Trash Can Decals - Click Here
• Check Your Speed® Trash Can Decals - Click Here!
• No Need To Speed® Trash Can Decals - Click Here!
• KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® Static Cling Window Decals - Click Here!
• Seat Belts-FASTENATING!® Bumper Decals - Click Here!
  
  Don’t let the two minutes you ‘save’
  be the last two minutes of someone’s life.”
  David Townsend (Tia’s Dad)

In safety,
Tom Everson
Executive Director & Founder - KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® - A “For Action” Organization -501(c) (3)
402-334-1391
Tom@kkad25.org
http://www.keepkidsalivedrive25.org/

Reminder, donate to support the mission of KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25 at http://www.keepkidsalivedrive25.org/donate/ . Your generous giving keeps kids living. Thanks!

Keep Kids Alive Drive 25® and related logos and slogans (Be Aware! Drive With Care®, Check Your Speed®/No Need To Speed®, Stop! Take 3 To See®, Stop Means Stop®, Seat Belts-FASTENATING!®, and It’s Not A Race! Create Space©) are registered trademarks/copyrights of Keep Kids Alive Drive 25, P.O. Box 45563 Omaha, Nebraska, 68145. No other entities may use these or similar marks without prior permission. Call 402-334-1391 for information.

From Anger to Action - Keep Kids Alive!

FROM ANGER TO ACTION!

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
Margaret Mead

Dear Friend of KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25,

Remember, an average of 102 human beings – daughters, sons, brothers, sisters, parents, grandparents, friends – die each day on America’s roadways. Just today I received this "Google" alert about the following incidents:

• 6-year-old dies after Pike accident last week
• MHS students mourn death of classmate in traffic accident
• Officer killed as car hits work site
• 4-Year-Old Boy Dies In Early Morning Traffic Accident In Douglas ...
• 3-Year-Old Dies After Stroud Accident
• Autopsy: Woman died of multiple injuries after struck by car

When we consider the reasons for many of these deaths, it is easy to be angry – about speeders, stop-sign/stop-light runners, tailgaters, those who fail to buckle up or utilize their blinker properly, or who drive while intoxicated or intexticated; and the list goes on and on.

The challenge is to create community-wide initiatives that turn anger into action. The aim is to engage all citizens in making our roadways safer for the benefit of everyone. As the new school year unfolds, consider starting, or expanding upon, a community-wide campaign to educate and engage residents of all ages to create safe driving/pedestrian/cycling environments. Here are a few ways to get started.

• Mobilize, or make use of an existing, Traffic Safety Task Force to create a plan to engage your community. For Campaign Start-up Information-Click Here.
• CREATE A SAFE-DRIVING CULTURE IN YOUR HIGH SCHOOL(S) – and beyond! (Click here to learn how)
• Implement an “Educational Fundraiser With Community Impact.” For more information (Click here)

Thanks to all who have responded by donating to support the mission of KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25®. We continue to need your financial support. Donate to support the mission of at KKAD25 Donate.

Your generous giving keeps kids living!

"Don’t let the two minutes you ‘save’
be the last two minutes of someone’s life.”
David Townsend (Tia’s Dad).

In safety,
Tom Everson
Executive Director & Founder -KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® - A “For Action” Organization -501(c) (3)
402-334-1391
Tom@kkad25.org
www.KeepKidsAliveDrive25.org – Keep up with the latest at the KKAD25 Blog.

Keep Kids Alive Drive 25® and related logos and slogans (Be Aware! Drive With Care®, Check Your Speed®/No Need To Speed®, Stop! Take 3 To See®, Stop Means Stop®, Seat Belts-FASTENATING!®, and It’s Not A Race! Create Space©) are registered trademarks/copyrights of Keep Kids Alive Drive 25, P.O. Box 45563 Omaha, Nebraska, 68145. No other entities may use these or similar marks without prior permission. Call 402-334-1391 for information.

Keep Kids Alive Pike's Peak Ascent "Run to Remember

Dear Friends of Keep Kids Alive Drive 25,

We made it to the top of Pike's Peak! My son, Matthew, brother, Mike, and I successfully completed the 2009 “Run to Remember” as part of the Pike’s Peak Ascent Trail Race. My brother Mike took it to a new extreme as he added 26.2 extra miles by completing the Pike’s Peak Marathon on the 16th - that's right, he "doubled" as they call it. He ran almost 40 miles in memory of all those included on our shirts this year. Captioned photos follow this note to tell a brief story of our trek.

Next year we already have between 2 and 5 additional Everson family members who plan to join us so that we can continue to grow the mission of Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 in memory of all those who have died in traffic incidents across our country. If any of you readers would like to join our team, please e-mail kkad25@kkad25.org.

In safety and with gratitude for all your support,

Tom Everson
Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 - A Non-Profit "For Action" Organization 501(c)(3)

Yours truly, Mike, and Matthew on top of Pike’s Peak the day before the race. We are in front of the plaque dedicated to Kathryn Lee Bates, who wrote “America the Beautiful” as an anthem to “America’s Mountain” after climbing the mountain in the 1890’s.

Posing with our “Run to Remember” shirts with the names of all we run in memory of.

Matthew, Mike, and me at the starting line for the Pike’s Peak Ascent the morning of August 15th

A view from the top of Pike’s Peak. Yes, We ran above the clouds!

Mike on the uphill side of the Pike’s Peak Marathon.

Mike finishing the Pike’s Peak Marathon

Mike holding up his medal after receiving a little TLC in the medical tent after completing his 2nd “Run to Remember” of the weekend. Don’t worry. He is okay today.

The Faces of Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 - The Ones We Love

Dear Friend of Keep Kids Alive Drive 25,
This letter is about how to keep “KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25®” alive.
KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® was born 11 years ago on the simple premise that each one of us can make all the difference in making neighborhood streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists, motorists and passengers by following the rules of road. It was, and continues to be, a proactive campaign. What we do each time we get behind the wheel does matter – to our loved ones, to ourselves, and to people we have not even met.
Wendy and I committed our limited financial resources to getting the campaign off the ground. We were, and still are, encouraged by the pioneering efforts of neighborhoods like Echo Hills in Sarpy County, Nebraska, and of cities including Danville, CA, Oro Valley, AZ, Oceanside, CA, Bolingbrook, IL, Columbus, OH, New Berlin, WI, and Toledo, OH, which were the first to work to engage residents as a frontline solution to the problems we ourselves cause – speeding, stop sign-running, not buckling up, tailgating, and all sorts of distracted driving behaviors. They set the foundation for all to come.
There have been the commitments of families of victims that have made tremendous differences in involving young people, schools, civic organizations, and even state legislatures in creating safer roadways for the benefit of us all. These include mothers and fathers like Karen Steffan whose daughter, Ashley, was hit and killed by a speeding classmate (almost 60 mph in a 25 mph zone) while waiting for the school bus in her driveway in Waukesha, Wisconsin.

And Sean Martin, who has worked tirelessly with middle school students at Miami Lakes Middle School in Florida to enact ordinances to keep kids safer in school zones in memory of his son, Shaye, who was struck and killed by a speeding motorist (plus 60 mph) while walking on the sidewalk in a school zone.

And Barbara Foster, who worked with her State Representative in Mesquite, Texas to change State law regarding 30 mph mandates for residential streets in the wake of the death of her son, Kyle, hit and killed in front of his home when crossing the street on Halloween.

There are so many more stories to share, but allow these to begin to paint a picture of why the mission of KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® makes a difference each and every day. In fact, the best way to picture the difference we strive to make is to simply take out your wallet and gaze at photos of the people you love most – the ones you would never choose to have die a tragic and untimely death. Our loved ones make all the difference in our lives each and every day we have on this earth.
We have been blessed these past 11 years by the generosity of donors willing to give financially to support our mission. The vast majority of these donations have been $5.00 - $100.00, and a small, but growing, list of monthly contributors for $5.00 a month or more through the The Network for Good. We have also benefited from generosity of corporations including High Point and Teacher’s Insurance of New Jersery, Ford Motor Company Fund, Wells Fargo Bank, American Family Insurance, UPS, AAMCO, Time Warner Communications, Wheels for You, and countless businesses that have supported your local campaigns. Foundations, including the GEICO Philanthropic Fund, The Crosson Family Foundation, and the Maginn Family Foundation have also been key sources of support. We are grateful for each and every dollar that has come our way to reinvest in growing the campaign nationwide.
However, we have come to a crossroads in our financial ability to continue our mission. Our yearly budget rarely exceeds $150,000.00 to fund a mission that has extended itself to over 1000 communities representing 48 states, 2 Canadian Provinces, the Bahamas, as well as contacts in India, Australia, the United Kingdom, and South Africa. Donations are down significantly this year – 50% or more at this writing. In addition, revenue generated through our yard signs, trash can decals, etc. is down over 50% as well. In short, we are facing the same financial crisis as many other non- profits and for-profits in this tight economy.
Thus, if you are not doing so already, I am asking you to become a donor to support our mission. Here are ways to do so:
Become a $5.00 per month donor through our donor page on The Network for Good
Invite family, friends, and colleagues to become donors as well.
Make a one-time donation for any amount directly through our web site at http://www.keepkidsalivedrive25.org/donate/ Or checks can be mailed directly to:
KEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25
12418 C Street
Omaha, NE 68144
Invite your employer to donate and/or become a sponsor for the campaign – locally, regionally, or nationally. Call 402-334-1391 or e-mail Tom@kkad25.org for details.
All donations are tax-deductible. Any size donation will be greatly appreciated... no amount is too small.
The reasons for donating and preserving the mission of Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 can be found right in your own home, neighborhood, schools, workplaces, parks – in short everywhere where people you care about congregate.
Please call or e-mail with any questions you have regarding our work and mission. I will not hard-sell you on becoming a donor. First and foremost Keep Kids Alive Drive 25 is about people. I believe, as does our board of directors, that when we put people first, the money to carry out our mission will follow.
And, as always, in the words David Townsend, father of Tia – hit and killed while walking in a marked crosswalk by a driver who pulled around the car in front of him:
“Don’t let the two minutes you ‘save’
be the last two minutes of someone’s life.”
Thank you for reading, as well as for your generous support.
In safety,
Tom EversonTom Everson
Executive Director & FounderKEEP KIDS ALIVE DRIVE 25® - A “For Action” Organization -501(c) (3)
12418 C Street
Omaha, NE 68144
402-334-1391
http://us.mc541.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Kkad25@kkad25.org
http://www.keepkidsalivedrive25.org/ – Keep up with the latest at the KKAD25 Blog.