HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.R. NO.

186

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

  

STATE OF HAWAII

  
   

HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

Honoring wendy hamilton, national president of mothers against drunk driving (MADD), and the entire madd organization for their outstanding work and dedication to the safety of our nation's roadways through the eradication of drunk driving.

 

 

WHEREAS, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has been dedicated to the protection of our nations roadways through its tireless efforts in the war on drunk driving; and

WHEREAS, in 1984, MADD-Hawaii was chartered and began its work to eradicate drunk driving from the freeways, highways, and roadways of our state; and

WHEREAS, besides the eradication of drunk driving, MADD's mission also consists of preventing underage drinking, and providing support services for victims, and families of victims, of drunk driving incidents; and

WHEREAS, after many years of decline, the nation's death and injury toll from alcohol related crashes has increased, continuing the unnecessary carnage on our roadways from one of the most preventable incidents; and

WHEREAS, MADD-Hawaii will be dedicating a victim memorial, located at the Ewa end of Kaka'ako Waterfront Park, to remember the hundreds of people who have died in alcohol-related highway crashes in our State; and

WHEREAS, this memorial consists of three bronze figures with voids where the hearts should be symbolizing the ever-present emptiness and loss that family members and friends experience when a loved one has been needlessly killed in a drunk driving incident; and

WHEREAS, WENDY HAMILTON, the National President of MADD will be the keynote speaker at the ceremony dedicating the MADD Victim Memorial; and

WHEREAS, WENDY HAMILTON and her family experienced the tragedy of losing four family members in three separate drunk driving incidents, the most recent being a crash in 1984 which took the lives of her 32-year-old sister and 22-month-old nephew, inspiring her to get involved with MADD and causing her to be one of MADD's staunchest advocates; and

WHEREAS, through the years, WENDY HAMILTON moved throughout the country tirelessly working towards the prevention and eradication of drunk driving from our roadways by providing inspirational service which has led to the passage of important landmark legislation, such as the national illegal drunk driving standard of .08 percent blood alcohol content, and serving on or founding MADD chapters in Indiana, Illinois, New York, and Maryland; and

WHEREAS, WENDY HAMILTON's leadership experience and passionate personal convictions are the foundation for her position as National President of MADD, and will serve her well as she attempts to advance her agenda of expanding MADD's membership; reaching diverse communities; reducing alcohol related deaths and injuries; promoting victims issues and MADD's victims services; furthering initiatives to pass key, lifesaving drunk driving legislation; and raising awareness of the devastating impacts of underage drinking on the developing brains of our youth; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2003, that this body hereby honors WENDY HAMILTON, national president of MADD, and the entire MADD organization for their outstanding work and dedication to the safety of our nation's roadways through their tireless efforts towards the eradication of drunk driving.

 
 

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title:

Honoring Wendy Hamilton, national president of MADD, and the entire MADD organization for their outstanding work and dedication to the safety of our nation's roadways through their tireless efforts towards the eradication of drunk driving.