In the early morning of Sunday, April 24, more than 2,000 South Floridians of all ages and fitness levels came together at Huizenga Plaza to make this year’s La Croix Walk Like MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) & MADD Dash 5K Presented by ADT Brought to You by Ultimate Software the largest and most successful in MADD history.
Collectively, a record-breaking $227,000 was raised, which will be used to to help support local education and advocacy initiatives to reduce the nearly 10,000 drunk driving-related annual deaths and 290,000 drunk driving-related injuries that are 100 percent preventable. Donations still can be made through June 1, 2016 at www.walklikemadd.org/fortlauderdale.
Walk Like MADD & MADD Dash is MADD’s annual signature fundraising event, which takes place in over 80 cities in the U.S., including Fort Lauderdale. Since it was established in 2011, Walk Like MADD & MADD Dash 5K Fort Lauderdale has raised more than $900,000 for MADD Broward and Palm Beach.
The day’s festivities included a walk, timed 5K, kids’ 100-meter dash, awards ceremony, live musical performances, vendors and educational booths, and appearances by local dignitaries. Speakers included Broward County Commissioner Chip LaMarca, Broward College President David Armstrong and event Founder and Chair Heather Geronemus. Geronemus established/chaired the Fort Lauderdale event in 2011. Her father, Dr. Robert Perry Geronemus, was struck and killed by a drunk driver in 2009.
“I’m incredibly proud that this year’s Walk Like MADD & MADD Dash 5K Fort Lauderdale has become the most successful event in MADD’s history,” said Geronemus. “I want to thank everyone who became a difference maker in the fight against drunk driving this year. What was once a community of primarily victims has grown to become a community of thousands of supporters, sponsors, fundraisers and volunteers who are there to take care of people they don’t even know.
“This is a 100 percent preventable crime and we will continue to fight to create a community where people can live safely, fulfilling MADD’s promise of a future of No More Victims of drunk driving,” she continued.
Walk Like MADD & MADD Dash 5K Fort Lauderdale 2016 event sponsors include Signature Sponsor Ultimate Software, Title Sponsor La Croix Water, and Presenting Sponsor ADT Always Cares. Road Guardian Sponsors are Allegiance Crane & Equipment, Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel, Sheriff’s Foundation of Broward County, Festival Flea Market, Florida Community Bank, SunTrust Foundation, Yellow Cab Broward, and Greenspoon Marder Law. Corporate Champion Sponsors are Broward Health, Memorial Healthcare System, Grumer & Macaluso, P.A., Merrimac Ventures, Westway Towing, Durée & Company, Cannatelli Builders, Selfeo, and UPS. MADD Milestones Sponsors are Arctica Frozen Solutions, Baptist Health South Florida, Broward College, Comerica Bank, Sports Authority, Westfield Broward, Publix, Orangetheory Fitness, PNC Bank, Ed Morse Automotive Group, and OK Generators. Friends of MADD are Adams Benefit, Broward-Dade Safety Council, Crowe Horwath, Ginnis & Krathen, P.A., Holland & Knight, Tom O’Connell Attorney at Law, United Medco Pharmaceuticals, Vantage Hospitality Group, Inc., Exults, Dr. Gena Chiropractic, Gray Robinson Attorneys at Law, ANF Group, Inc., Westonlawyers.com, Florida Spine & Joint Institute, and Sole-Lutions. In-kind sponsors are Dunkin’ Donuts, Gran Forno Las Olas, Ft. Lauderdale Strikers Football Club, DJ Rush, Downtown Photo Fort Lauderdale, ArtServe, the Florida Panthers, and BRIO Tuscan Grille. Media sponsors are HITS 97.3, Sun Sentinel, and inWeston Magazine.
The next Annual Walk Like MADD & MADD Dash 5K Fort Lauderdale is scheduled for April 30, 2017 at Huizenga Plaza. Sponsorships are available.
ABOUT MADD Founded by a mother whose daughter was killed by a drunk driver, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is the nation’s largest nonprofit working to protect families from drunk driving and underage drinking. MADD also supports drunk and drugged driving victims and survivors at no charge, serving one person every nine minutes through local MADD victim advocates and at 1-877-MADD-HELP. In South Florida, the chapter’s annual Walk Like MADD & MADD Dash 5K has raised more than $900,000 since 2011. MADD’s Broward and Palm Beach chapters facilitate dozens of free events each year to educate youth and parents on the dangers and consequences of impaired driving. Learn more at www.madd.org or by calling 1-877-ASK-MADD.
