Blog du Wren

Walk Like MADD 2023

Up to this point in my life, walk-a-thons have been a concept I've found myself having a hard time wrapping my head around. I know there is the money raising side of things. And supposedly there is the awareness raising side. But in the past, I hadn't quite worked out my place in a walk-a-thon, not knowing if it is a good fit. Such was my mental state as I set off to attend the 2023 Walk Like MADD walk-a-thon. Leaving the event, however, I felt much more at peace with it all, esp. how it works for me.

This year's event was much better attended than last year (and infinitely better than 2021 when I walked alone due to the pandemic). Additionally, it was at a much more pleasant I broke out in tears seeing this poster from last year

I broke out in tears seeing this poster from last year

location, set along Lake Washington in Magnuson Park in Seattle. Besides the ~2 miles walk, there were a few speeches, a raffle*, some [sponsor] lawyer booths (where I had a great informative chat), and free fresh mini-donuts. But really, the thing that made the experience for me was being around others who have been affected by drunk drivers and an environment where it wasn't taboo to talk about it. I guess it just made me feel less alone (even though I barely interacted with anyone since all the other walkers were in groups).

Going into the event, my main reason for participation was to have a comfortable way to remind people that drinking and driving is the #1 cause of death on our roadways¹ and it can be 100% preventable. I still see people around me make choices regarding alcohol and driving that is really hard being exposed to. And while I have very little hope my yearly passive PSA makes any difference, I can't not.

Will this become one of those things I do every year, like the crossword puzzle tournament, the Skagit County Fair, or Sh'Bang? Maybe. Now that I've found its place in my brain/heart, I could see the comfort of the yearly routine being something worth hanging onto. Or maybe once the legal issues surround the repercussions of the crashed caused by the drunk driver have resolved, I won't have the same motivation to hopefully learn some tangible information/help. Time will tell, I suppose. But I'm really glad I went this year.

Sunday September 17 2023

File under: Della

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on Wed 20th Sep, 2023 09:21 am CDT Mom said:
I admire you very much for keeping on keeping on.
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