November 20, 2017 Dear Friends, I am extremely happy to offer my support for this year’s edition of Recipes for the Road. It is not only a collection of delicious recipes, but also a tool that can be used for educating readers on the importance of safety. The Department’s top priority is safety and we have a vision to serve the people of Florida by providing a balanced transportation network with a goal of being fatality free. We have seen an increase in the number of lives lost on our roads. Many of these involved drivers who were either impaired or distracted. This tragic loss of life has a long-lasting impact on many people as families and friends try and cope with these tragic events. For these reasons we encourage you to always make the right choice. If you know someone has been drinking, do not let that person drive. If you will be drinking, designate a sober driver ahead of time or call for a safe ride home. In addition, remember distracted driving can greatly increase your risk of being involved in a crash. We want you to enjoy the holiday season this year and for many years to come, so please, always focus on the road, drive safely, wear your seat belt, and get home safely. Sincerely,
David W. Gwynn, P.E. District Seven Secretary
DAVID W. GWYNN, P.E. District Seven Secretary
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The Community Traffic Safety Team (CTST) is a multi-disciplined Federal, State and local government endorsed program developed to reduce the number of traffic crashes that occur on Florida’s roadways. The program was created in response to the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1990, federal legislation that calls for local participation and solutions to traffic crashes, injuries and fatalities on local roadways. Our CTST membership consists of professionals in four disciplines: • Law Enforcement • Engineering • Emergency Services • Education We possess the resources and skills to directly impact the safety-related problems that Florida faces on our roadways. The teams have carefully-developed missions, goals and objectives. The committees undertake projects, various activities and serve as a resource to any and all communities, local government agencies and roadway users. The CTSTs’ overall goal is not only the reduction of serious and fatal injury crashes, but assisting in reaching zero fatalities on Florida roadways. Ginger Regalado Community Traffic Safety Team Program Manager Florida Department of Transportation District Seven Ginger.Regalado@dot.state.fl.us (813) 975-6970
“YOU ARE MY REFUGE AND MY SHIELD; I HAVE PUT MY HOPE IN YOUR WORD.” Psalms 119:114
DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF DEPUTY LARRY MORRELL February 15, 1957 June 23, 2017 AWARDS
• Honor Guard • Life Saving Bar • Chiefs Recognition Award • Exemplary Service Award (2) • Medal of Valor • District’s Eagle Eye Award (2) • MADD Century Award (9) • Millennium Award • 2016 MADD Officer of the Year
FROM 2002 - 2011 LARRY MADE OVER 2000 ARRESTS FOR IMPAIRED DRIVING
Larry attended and graduated from Coral Gables High School where he was a standout on the football team. After graduating, Larry wasn’t sure what he wanted to do in life, but was eager to attend college. Larry decided on Oklahoma North Eastern A&M where he played football. He graduated in 1977 with an AA degree. In the fall of 1977, Larry decided to continue his education at Florida State, where he was a walk-on to the football team. He played center. In 1978, Larry started work with the Tulsa County Sheriff’s office. Larry loved working the night shift, he felt like all the action happened during the night. He was well liked and respected and was soon promoted to Sergeant. Larry’s brother worked in law enforcement in Texas, so Larry left Tulsa and joined the Ft. Worth Police Department in 1984. Larry accomplished so much with his 8 years in Texas law enforcement. He received the following awards: Honor Guard, Life Saving Bar, Chiefs Recognition Award, Exemplary Service Award, and the Medal of Valor. (This was for a shooting robbery pursuit). In 1992, Larry became a deputy with the Hillsborough Sheriff’s Department and within a few years was tapped for the street crimes squad. In 1993, his close friend and one time partner in Ft. Worth, was killed by a drunk driver. This motivated Larry to join Operation 3D in 2002, a countywide
enforcement squad that targeted impaired drivers. Larry could have been promoted to detective or supervisor if he wished, but his heart was with Operation 3D. From 2002-2011, Larry was recognized as a top performer in the 3D unit. His list of accomplishments with Operation 3D include: the District’s Eagle Eye Award (twice) for making significant or high profile arrests; the MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) Century Award for making more than 100 DUI (Driving Under the Influence) arrests in a year; the Millennium Award for making more than 1000 arrests overall; MADD officer of the year for 2016; and the National Liquor Law Enforcement Association Award for the Best Innovative Alcohol Law Enforcement Program in 2016. In 2011, Larry was chosen to take over the SAVE (Sheriff’s Alcohol Vendor Enforcement) unit. SAVE worked with alcohol vendors, bars, restaurants, and the Hard Rock casino to teach them to be responsible when serving alcohol. The SAVE unit was recognized for creativity, innovation, and uniqueness for training and holding employees accountable. Larry wanted to make a difference wherever he went and no matter what he was doing. He was a great listener. He learned people’s names and what they were passionate about. In October of 2016, he was recognized at a CTST (Community Traffic Safety Team) luncheon. Larry had told people that he was planning to retire, so a group of his protégé organizations planned a surprise farewell/thank you lunch for all his community efforts. The lunch sponsors were: TAC (Tampa Alcohol Coalition), MADD, Hillsborough County Anti-Drug Alliance, and the Hillsborough County CTST. Larry graciously announced at the end of the luncheon that God had a new plan for his life. He asked everyone to remember him in prayer. He did not reveal to the celebratory audience that he had just been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer the day before. Behind every good man is a terrific woman. That is Debbie Morrell! Debbie and Larry were soul mates. They had a romantic spark that was the envy of every couple. Debbie supported Larry in all his endeavors. She quickly realized how special he was in the law enforcement world. She and Larry attended Fish Hawk Fellowship Church faithfully. In fact, Debbie sings in the choir. This devout couple gave Larry’s cancer to God. They are both at peace, and Debbie looks forward to seeing her soul mate again in heaven.
SGT. STEVE GASKINS FHP Public Affairs Officer (813) 215-1867
The Florida Highway Patrol appreciates the opportunity to partner with the FDOT for “Recipes for the Road” once again. Emphasizing the importance of reducing impaired driving, a behavior responsible for killing and injuring tens of thousands each year, Troopers believe education is a large component of the process, as well as enforcement. The chance to reach a driver BEFORE they get behind the wheel impaired by drugs or alcohol is vital. As preliminary numbers indicate over the last six years throughout Florida, more than 79,000 DUI related crashes have occurred, injuring over 52,000 and claiming the lives of 2,200. Therefore, FHP Troopers repeatedly promote these tips designed to help safeguard your family, your friends and yourself on the road: • Plan ahead. If you will be drinking, do not plan on driving. Designate a sober driver or find another safe way home. Even one drink increases the risk of a crash while driving a motor vehicle. • If you are impaired, find another way home. Use a taxi, ride-sharing program, public transportation, or call a sober friend or family member. • Be responsible. If someone you know is drinking, do not let them get behind the wheel. If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact law enforcement. Your actions may save someone’s life and inaction could cost a life.
MOMS ON A MISSION by Eddy Duryea, Senior Writer The Villages Daily Sun
She can’t bowl—it would break her legs and wrist. She can’t walk long distances or play pickle ball or run— there is no cartilage in her knee. She can’t remember her friends’ names—unless they’re written on a piece of paper in her pocket. But Betsy Carlson can fight. And fight like MADD. Thirty-seven years and more than 40 surgeries after a drunk driver nearly crushed her to pieces, Betsy still suffers occasional seizures and, at 59, is facing a knee replacement. “Usually if you’re hit like I got hit, you’re dead,” she said of the head-on collision that broke her neck, dislocated her jaw, broke her arm, shattered her knee, and smashed her brain into the front of her skull at age 22. “When my husband arrived at the hospital, they were mopping up the ambulance. They couldn’t get a pulse. They put a sheet over my head.” Carlson woke up after a nearly two-month coma— that was the first miracle. Becoming a mother was the second. The brain damage had ruined her pituitary gland, forcing the removal of her uterus at age 31. It was one of dozens of health events her two children have witnessed. “They grew up with a mom who was having surgeries every year,” she said. “Then they started going to school, and I started talking.” The brain damage had another effect: “I had no inhibitions,” Carlson discovered. “I could give talks like nobody’s business. I would say ‘Hi, sometimes what I have to say will make you woozy.’ One time I gave a talk at a high school and, within an hour, three big football players had passed out cold.” What she wanted to talk to kids about was a new group: Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Carlson was one of the early members of the group, now in its 35th year, which has helped more than 300,000 victims and driven a 50% drop in drunk driving fatalities. She stood behind President Bill
Clinton with 11 other members as he signed a landmark law requiring states to enact .08 blood-alcohol-level limits or lose federal funding. “He signed it with 12 different pens, and we each got one,” she said. “He was helping save a lot of people.” “Although we’ve made good progress,” said MADD CEO Debbie Weir last month, “our job is not done.” MADD’s relentless advocacy deserves a lot of credit, said Lt. Bobby Caruthers, Public Information Officer for the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. “For 35 years, they’ve led a proactive and visible campaign, and it’s made a difference. We conduct campaigns throughout the year, but when people hear it from a mother who’s lost a loved one, it brings a totally different perspective.” Sgt. Steve Gaskins, Florida Highway Patrol Public Affairs Officer for Troop C in Sumter County, agrees. “I work with MADD on a regular basis. They’re out there the night of the crash, and they’re helping people transition. It’s not uncommon to go to court and see a MADD volunteer sitting there holding the hand of a victim’s family member.” Sharon Rivas of Orlando knows the touch of that hand. Her daughter, Bethany, was killed while riding in a car driven by an intoxicated driver. She had gotten engaged the night before. “From the moment she was killed, MADD was a part of my life,” said Rivas. “They were there for me, and they helped me heal.” MADD honored Bethany at an Orlando walk last month. Like Carlson and other MADD volunteers, Rivas is a mother on a mission. “I was eating at a restaurant when a young man came up to me and asked if I was Bethany’s mom. I’d spoken at his high school, and he told me he was hungover when I spoke. He said he had stopped drinking so heavily, and he still carries the bracelet that says, ‘Remember Bethany’ in his car. This is why I keep doing what I do.” Carlson doesn’t sugar-coat her message, because she doesn’t want any mother to lose her child in a DUI. “After I’m done talking about my injuries— which is a lot—I tell them, ‘Now let’s talk about you. If any of you are caught drinking and driving, they handcuff you, put you in the back of a police car, and take you to jail. That’s when you make the call to your parents that you should’ve made before you decided to drive.” And what has she told her own children? “I made a deal with my kids,” she said. “If you drink, I will drive you home and make sure you are safe. I don’t want a call saying I have to ID you in a morgue.” For her part, Carlson still dreads “what they might find next” in her physical each year. But she is more determined than ever to make mothers’ voices matter. “I’m alive,” Carlson said. “And I’m still advocating.”
DISTRACTED DRIVING Distracted driving includes texting and talking on the phone, eating, drinking, fidgeting with devices, interacting with passengers, dancing, and playing with the stereo or navigation. Anything that takes a driver’s attention away from the road can be deadly. To be safe at all times, a driver should eliminate distractions and devote all focus to driving.
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Each day 8 people are killed and 1,161 injured in crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver. 1
Nearly 80% of all crashes and 65% of all near-crashes involved driver inattention during the last three seconds before the incident. 1
Texting is the most alarming distraction. Sending/reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds or more. 1
Source: 1#FocusOnDrivingFL; www.imsafe.com
CHOCOLATE MOCK-TINI Ingredients • Chocolate syrup • 1/2 cup chocolate milk • 1 cup mint-chocolate chip ice cream • Ice Preparation • Coat inside of glass with chocolate syrup • Blend together chocolate milk, mint-chocolate chip ice cream and 4 ice cubes Source: www.recipetreasures.com/2017/01/10/chocolate-mock-tini/
SPARKLING SANGRIA Ingredients • Sliced apples, strawberries, oranges and frozen grapes • Sparkling grape juice • Candy fruit gel slice (optional) Preparation • Add sliced apples, strawberries, oranges and frozen grapes to sparkling grape juice • Garnish with a candy fruit gel slice Source: www.momjunction.com/articles/fun-baby-shower-mocktails-recipes
CUCUMBER SOUR Ingredients • 4 slices of cucumber • 2 sprigs of oregano • 2 drops of saline solution (or a pinch of salt) • 1.5 oz fresh lime juice • 3/4 oz light agave nectar Preparation • Add cucumber to shaker tin and muddle thoroughly • Clap 1 sprig of oregano to release flavor and add to the tin • Add the rest of the liquid ingredients to the tin • Add ice and shake for 15 seconds • Double strain into a rocks glass with ice • Garnish with remaining sprig of oregano Source: www.cocktailchemistrylab.com/home/mocktails
MINT MOJITO COFFEE Ingredients • 1/2 cup homemade cold brew concentrate • 1/3 cup water • 1 tablespoon turbinado simple syrup • 10 fresh mint leaves, torn • 2 tablespoons heavy cream • Fresh mint sprigs, to garnish Preparation • Add cold brew, water, simple syrup, and mint leaves in a cocktail shaker • Muddle mint leaves • Add heavy cream and a handful of ice • Cover shaker and shake until drink is chilled • Strain into a serving glass filled with ice • Garnish with fresh mint sprigs Source: www.thelittleepicurean.com/2017/08/mint-mojito-coffee.html
SGT. ANN STARLING Largo Police Department Traffic Safety Unit Traffic Homicide Unit
Each year, the destructive force of drunk driving is felt by all walks of life. It is a force that does not discriminate. The Largo Police Department is proud to partner with Mothers Against Drunk Driving and other law enforcement agencies in the fight against drunk driving. Please join us in this campaign and do your part to stop this preventable crime. Remind friends that there are other options to drinking and driving. Tell them that planning ahead could possibly prevent a tragedy. A split second decision could change your life and the lives of many others. We can all do our part to end this destruction.Â
TIM BERG Mr. Cooper, I do not hold any hate or anger towards you. But you need to be held accountable for your actions. You see, Mr. Cooper, impaired driving is one of the most preventable crimes and can be avoided simply by making the right choice. On December 22, 2015, you chose to consume prescription pills and drive a vehicle. It was that choice that caused my wife to wonder if I would survive and what she was going to tell our three boys. It was that choice that caused my family to spend Christmas praying that I keep fighting for my life in the trauma ICU instead of spending it together opening presents. It was that choice that placed me in the biggest fight I have ever had in my 17-year career in law enforcement, or in my entire life for that matter. It was that choice that caused me to spend two weeks in the hospital undergoing major surgeries to repair my broken ankle and fractured pelvis and to close holes in my leg (where my expandable baton impaled my thigh) while also recovering from road rash and a chin laceration. It was that choice that caused my wife to wonder if I would remember her and my kids due to the stroke I suffered that affected multiple areas of my brain. It was that choice that caused me to endure intensive physical therapy to regain strength and stability, occupational therapy to relearn basic skills and coordination, and speech therapy to reengage my brain and to work on regaining my impaired vision.
It was that choice that restricted me to a wheelchair and required me to need assistance from my wife for my everyday basic needs. It was that choice that caused complications leading to blood clots in my left leg and to undergo three more surgeries after being released to repair my right shoulder from a labrum tear and my right knee because of a meniscus tear and to repair a hole in my heart. My right shoulder will never be the same, and because of my knee injury, I can no longer run consistently like I enjoyed doing. Now, Mr. Cooper, you have another choice to make. You can choose to use this situation as a lesson and figure out a way to better yourself, or you can choose to be bitter and angry and continue to travel down a destructive path. When I swore an oath 17 years ago to serve and protect, I never once thought that I would be a victim. But here I am, the victim of a DUI crash, which is ironic because I spent a good portion of my career in the prevention and apprehension of impaired drivers. I have arrested and helped successfully convict hundreds of impaired drivers. I have worked crash scenes in which impaired drivers had caused injuries and devastation. I have told family members that their loved ones were not coming home because they were killed by an impaired driver. And through all those, I have never told an impaired driver that I forgive them. Mr. Cooper, I forgive you, and I pray that you choose to accept responsibility and take the route of bettering yourself and living up to your potential. I am able to forgive you simply because I have been forgiven for mistakes I have made in my life and because I believe in a God who says that we are to forgive those who wrong us. Learn from your mistakes, and begin a new and restored life knowing that you can be forgiven.
IMPAIRED DRIVING Alcohol, drugs, and driving simply do not mix. Driving requires a person’s attentiveness and the ability to make quick decisions on the road, to react to changes, and execute specific and often difficult maneuvers behind the wheel. When drinking alcohol, or using drugs – including prescription medications as well as illegal drugs - driving becomes dangerous and potentially lethal! Remember that the effects of drugs and alcohol last for hours, so even if you haven’t had a drink in a while, it could still be dangerous for you to drive.
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$132 BILLION
Everyday 36 people die in alcohol related crashes in the united states. 1
Every 41 minutes someone is killed in an alcohol related crash. 1
The annual cost of alcohol related crashes totals $132 Billion yearly. 2
Sources: 1 Centers For Disease Control and Prevention; www.cdc.gov 2 Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD); www.madd.org
STRAWBERRY WATERMELON SLUSH Ingredients • 1/3 cup lemon juice • 1/3 cup sugar • 2 cups cubed seedless watermelon • 2 cups fresh strawberries, halved • 2 cups ice cubes Preparation • Place first four ingredients in a blender; cover and process until smooth • Add ice; process, covered, until slushy • Serve immediately Source: www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/strawberry-watermelon-slush
VIRGIN MIMOSA Ingredients • 1 can (12 oz) Orange Juice Chilled • 1/4 teaspoon Grenadine Syrup • 1 can (12 oz) Ginger Ale (chilled) • 4 Orange Wheels • Ice cubes Preparation • Take a pitcher, add first two ingredients and ice cubes in it and mix well • Add ginger ale and stir well • Fill champagne flute glasses with prepared non-alcoholic mimosa; garnish with orange wheels and serve Source: www.cocktails.foodviva.com/mocktail-recipes/non-alcoholic-mimosa-recipe/
SPARKLING BLUEBERRY LEMONADE Ingredients • 2/3 cup white sugar superfine is best • 2/3 cup water • 1 and 1/2 cups fresh blueberries • 1 teaspoon lemon zest • 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice ~4-5 whole large lemons • 2 cups ice cubes • 3 cups sparkling water or club soda Preparation • Combine the sugar, water, blueberries, and lemon zest in a saucepan • Bring to a boil over medium heat and then simmer for 5-10 minutes or until the sugar is melted and blueberries are starting to burst • Remove from the heat and pass through a fine sieve. Let this blueberry syrup completely cool • Meanwhile, juice the lemons to get 1 cup lemon juice • In a large blender, add the blueberry syrup, lemon juice, and ice. Blend until smooth • Stir in the sparkling water or club soda • Enjoy immediately Recipe Notes • If you don’t plan on drinking this all in 1 day, keep the juice (blueberry syrup + lemon juice) separate from the sparking water. Add the two together as you want a cup of lemonade. Source: www.chelseasmessyapron.com/sparkling-blueberry-lemonade/
DANAE DEMATTEI On October 4, 2009, we received a call that every parent dreads—a call from the hospital stating that our daughter, Danae, had been in a serious automobile crash. We were warned to prepare ourselves for her condition. Upon arriving at the hospital, we were told that her crash involved a driver arrested for drunk driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.236. The neurosurgeon looked at her x-rays and explained to me and my wife that Danae had suffered extreme head trauma and that her brain had started to swell. He bluntly told us that she had a 1% chance of pulling through but that he would try a craniotomy to relieve the pressure because she was so young. We remained at her side around the clock. On October 9, 2009, we had to make the hardest decision of our lives—to take our daughter off life support. Danae was a loving young woman who had dedicated her life to helping, loving, and caring for her family and friends. She loved life and made a lasting impression on everyone she met. I truly believe (and grieve) that her reason for being on this earth was to help others through their difficulties. Not long after Danae’s death, we received a letter from a counselor that her employer had brought in to help the office cope with the grief. Below is a paragraph from his letter. “Although I never met Danae, I learned so much about her in the three days I spent counseling her co-workers. Never before had I encountered a work setting like the one with
Danae’s coworkers. Each person had a special story about how caring, loving, and humorous she was and how meaningful she was in their lives. Whether their peer, subordinate, or supervisor, she was valued as a friend, confidante, supporter, and source of love and inspiration. So many there felt blessed to have known her.” Danae’s death has traumatized our family and her friends. We have a pain inside that will never go away, and this sense of emptiness will be with us forever. Our son truly misses his sister—the love and connection they had was special; they talked every day and were protective of each other. He told my wife that not only did he lose his sister but also his best friend. My wife’s parents are also hurting—not only did they lose a granddaughter, but they see their daughter broken and are unable to put the pieces back together. The driver’s lack of responsibility in killing our daughter due to his bad choice of getting behind the wheel is unacceptable. Although the sentence he received will not bring our daughter back, I truly hope he learned his lesson about drinking and driving.
WRONG WAY DRIVING Wrong way driving is defined as a driver who operates their vehicle in the opposite direction of travel on a freeway or highway and collides with a vehicle traveling in the correct direction. Attentiveness is an important requirement while driving, since most wrong way driving collisions are caused by driver error. Most of these incidents are due to drivers entering a highway exit ramp. Wrong way driving collisions are most often head-on collisions, which result in death or extremely severe injuries with long-term lasting effects that require surgery and therapy.
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In 2015, there were a total of 1490 wrong way crashes in Florida. 1
Most wrong way crashes occur between 6PM and 6AM. 2
In 2015, 21.21% of wrong way crashes were caused by an impaired driver. 1
Sources: 1 Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles; www.flhsmv.gov/pdf/wrongway 2 Suncoast Safety Council; www.safety.org
FROSTY MOCHA COFFEE Ingredients • 1/4 cup strong brewed Folgers® French Roast Coffee, chilled or 1/4 cup strong brewed Folgers® Black Silk Coffee, chilled • 1/4 cup Smucker’s® Sundae Syrup™ Chocolate Flavored Syrup • 1 tablespoon vanilla flavored syrup • 1/4 cup milk • 1 1/2 cups ice cubes • Whipped cream • Chocolate decorator sprinkles, for garnish Preparation • Place coffee, chocolate sundae syrup, vanilla syrup and milk in blender container. Cover. Blend on medium speed until combined. Add ice cubes. Process until thick and smooth • Pour into glasses. Top with whipped cream. Garnish with sprinkles Source: www.folgerscoffee.com/coffee-recipes/coffee-drink-recipes/frosty-mocha-coffee
HOLIDAY PIÑA COLADA Ingredients • 1 cup canned coconut milk • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream • 1 cup pineapple juice • 1/4 cup granulated sugar • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 8 cups cubed ice (or as needed) Preparation • Add all ingredients except for the ice and blend together • Add the ice a handful at a time until you have the desired consistency • Fill your glass and embellish with some fresh pineapple and strawberries • Serve immediately Source: www.theidearoom.net/virgin-pina-colada-recipe/
APPLE PIE PUNCH Ingredients • 4 cups Apple Cider • 1 cup Pear Nectar (Can substitute with White Grape Juice if you cannot find any.) • 3 cups Ginger Ale • 1 Apple, diced (Cortland, Spartan, Empire, and Gala work well!) Preparation • Combine apple cider, pear nectar, and ginger ale into a pitcher or punch bowl • Throw in the apples and enjoy! Source: www.frugalmomeh.com/2015/10/non-alcoholic-apple-pie-punch.html
SPARKLING HONEY LIMEADE Ingredients • 1 liter club soda or sparkling water, chilled • 1 cup fresh lime juice • 1/2 cup cold water • 1/2 cup granulated sugar • 1/2 cup honey (preferably light colored) • Ice • Fresh mint (optional) Preparation • In a pitcher whisk together 1/2 cup water and sugar until sugar has dissolved • Pour in honey and mix until well blended • Stir in lime juice • Pour in club soda or sparkling water and stir once • Add in ice and mint Source: www.dreamingindiy.com/the-best-easy-non-alcoholic-drinks-recipes-creative-mocktails-and-familyfriendly-alcohol-free-big-batch-party-beverages-for-a-crowd/
TAMPA POLICE DEPARTMENT The Tampa Police Department is proud to Partner with FDOT in the “Recipes for the Road� safety campaign. The officers at the Tampa Police Department want the public to know we take a zero-tolerance approach to DUI Enforcement with the main goal of reducing DUI related crashes and fatalities. Plain and simple, a little personal responsibility and planning is all it takes to avoid being arrested for a DUI. We have seen lives ruined and families shattered by one bad decision to drive under the influence. Our enforcement efforts over the holiday season are not about taking the fun out of celebrating the holidays, but rather ensuring public safety and saving lives. In conjunction with DUI awareness, we also ask that drivers please put the phone down while driving and pay attention to the road ahead. That call or text can wait until the trip is over.
JOHN A. SORENSEN John was the oldest of our four sons and the one who added a little spice to our lives. When he was little, he would come into the house with fireflies, baby rabbits, and garter snakes (which he knew I was deathly afraid of), and I wouldn’t let him in until he got rid of them. He was the son that would climb out of his bedroom window, sit on the snow-covered roof of the porch, jump down, and walk to his friend’s house down the street—all because he had been grounded. But he also was the one who, when I was sick and unable to cook dinner, would get into the car, drive to Burger King, and bring home hamburgers for everyone. After high school, he joined the Navy and was stationed in Japan, serving on the USS Vincennes. During his deployment to the Middle East, his Navy buddies called him “Sorensenegger” because he fired warning shots with a 50-caliber gun over a foreign ship that was getting too close. After John moved to Florida, he would call his dad during every Nebraska Cornhuskers game so they could either cheer or swear at the TV together. He enjoyed cooking and trying new recipes, especially using his fancy grill. He would call me with new recipes he tried or text me pictures of what he had made. On September 19, 2015, John and his brothers, Mike and Andy, met in Miami for the Nebraska/ Miami football game. It was John’s 38th birthday, and they all had a wonderful time.
It was the last time they would ever be together. John loved his two sons, Kaleb and Noah, and his fiancée, Charlene. He also loved his yellow lab, Gunner, and thoroughly enjoyed fishing and riding his motorcycle. John lived his life his way, full of zest. He loved life, family, and friends. Here’s to you our son John—“Ride Forever, Forever Free.”
BANANA BRUNCH PUNCH Ingredients • 6 medium ripe bananas • 1 can (12 oz) frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed • 1 can (6 oz) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed • 3 cups warm water, divided • 2 cups sugar, divided • 1 can (46 oz) pineapple juice • 3 bottles (2 liters each) lemon-lime soda • Orange slices, optional Preparation • In a blender or food processor, blend bananas, orange juice and lemonade until smooth • Remove half of the mixture and set aside. Add 1-1/2 cups of warm water and 1 cup sugar to mixture in blender; blend until smooth • Place in a large freezer container. Repeat with remaining banana mixture, water and sugar; add to container • Cover and freeze until solid. One hour before serving, take punch base out of freezer • Just before serving, place in a large punch bowl • Add pineapple juice and soda; stir until well blended • Garnish with orange slices if desired Source: www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/banana-brunch-punch
TROPICAL STRAWBERRY LEMONADE Ingredients • 3 tablespoons COUNTRY TIME LEMONADE STARTER LIQUID DRINK MIX, mixed with 2 cups water • 3 tablespoons KOOL-AID TROPICAL PUNCH LIQUID DRINK MIX, mixed with 2 cups water • 1 can (about 12 oz) lemon-lime soda (Sprite, 7-Up, etc.; Diet okay) • 1 cup pineapple juice • 1 cup orange juice • 2 cups fruit, diced small (strawberries, pineapple, mango, and orange slices; frozen okay) • Ice, for serving Preparation • To a large pitcher or bowl, add the lemonade drink mix, 2 cups water, the tropical punch drink mix, 2 cups water, and stir to combine • Add the lemon-lime soda, pineapple juice, orange juice, diced fruit, and stir to combine. Taste and make any flavor adjustments if necessary, to taste Source: www.averiecooks.com/2015/04/tropical-strawberry-lemonade-party-punch.html
PEACHY SWEET Ingredients • 2 oz peach nectar • 1 oz chilled apple juice • Four 1/2-inch-thick banana slices • 1 oz sweetened coconut milk • 1 oz whole milk • 1/2 cup crushed ice • 3 very thin coconut slices or 1 peach slice Preparation • In a blender, combine all of the ingredients except the coconut slices. Puree until smooth • Pour into a chilled highball glass and garnish with the coconut slices Source: www.foodandwine.com/recipes/peachy-sweet-cocktails-2007
ROBIN POWELL My life changed forever on January 27, 2001. It was Super Bowl weekend in Tampa, with a game between the Baltimore Ravens and the New York Giants. That morning, an intoxicated young woman crossed over four lanes of traffic and hit us head on. There were four of us in the car, and everyone walked away except me. I was airlifted to Tampa General Hospital, where I spent the next three months. I was a complete quadriplegic, with no use of my arms or legs and no feeling in my body. The doctors told me I would be like this for the rest of my life. But God had a different plan. Over the next three years, I learned how to feed and dress myself and shower by myself and how to become a complete woman again. Because of forgiveness, God has allowed me to be a living MIRACLE. Each month, I tell my story to hundreds of people at our Victim Impact panel. The next time you take that first drink, think about the possible consequences. Make the right choice—never ever drink and drive!
THE STATE OF FLORIDA IN 2015 THE STATE OF FLORIDA HAD
16,400 TOTAL ALCOHOL RELATED CRASHES*
6,847
828
ALCOHOL RELATED INJURY CRASHES
ALCOHOL RELATED FATAL CRASHES
*Source: 2015 DHSMV Traffic Crash Data; www.firesportal.com/Pages/Public/DHSMVDocuments.aspx
IN 2015, DISTRICT 7 (CITRUS, HERNANDO, HILLSBOROUGH, PASCO, AND PINELLAS COUNTIES) HAD A TOTAL OF
CITRUS COUNTY TOTAL CRASHES 1,502*
69
49
7
DUI CRASHES
DUI INJURY CRASHES
DUI FATALITY CRASHES
HERNANDO COUNTY TOTAL CRASHES 2,153*
109
84
7
DUI CRASHES
DUI INJURY CRASHES
DUI FATALITY CRASHES
TOTAL CRASHES
TOTAL INJURY CRASHES
TOTAL FATAL CRASHES
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TOTAL CRASHES 25,967*
1,469
993
66
DUI CRASHES
DUI INJURY CRASHES
DUI FATALITY CRASHES
PASCO COUNTY TOTAL CRASHES 7,464*
375
341
28
DUI CRASHES
DUI INJURY CRASHES
DUI FATALITY CRASHES
*Source: 2015 DHSMV Traffic Crash Data; www.firesportal.com/Pages/Public/DHSMVDocuments.aspx
PINELLAS COUNTY TOTAL CRASHES 19,060*
1,044
685
37
DUI CRASHES
DUI INJURY CRASHES
DUI FATALITY CRASHES
IN COMPARISON TO 2014, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CRASHES INCREASED IN DISTRICT 7 BY
TOTAL CRASHES
9%
DUI CRASHES
1%
DUI INJURY CRASHES DUI FATALITY CRASHES TOTAL CRASHES
11% 30% TOTAL INJURY CRASHES
TOTAL FATAL CRASHES
Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) is dedicated to educating students, parents, and others in the community concerning the problems of underage drinking, impaired driving, seatbelt usage, driver training, speeding, and distracted driving. The purpose of FL SADD is to assist and encourage middle and high school students to live safe, healthy, and substance-free lifestyles by creating chapters in their schools that support and promote positive decisionmaking. SADD promotes a “No-Use” message – no alcohol, tobacco, or illegal substances – through positive peer pressure, support, and activism. SADD’s philosophy is: If the problem is mine, the solution also begins with me. “Traffic crashes are the #1 cause of death for teenagers in America,” said Danielle Branciforte, Statewide Coordinator for Florida SADD. “It is so important that we take the time to educate our teens on the dangers of destructive behaviors while driving. Together, we all have the power to save lives.”
On May 11, 2002, a drunk driver killed Renée (Napier) Lord’s daughter, Meagan, and Meagan’s friend, Lisa. The driver, Eric Smallridge, was sentenced to 22 years in prison. In the midst of grieving the loss of her daughter, Renée came to forgive Eric, lead a successful campaign to have his sentence changed to 11 years and, in turn, Eric decided to make something positive out of his tragic mistake. In 2004, Renée began her journey giving DUI presentations at a multitude of venues, including high schools, colleges, military bases, churches, prisons, treatment centers and the NFL. In April 2010, Eric was granted permission to join Renée in her speaking campaign. While still an inmate bound by shackles, Eric captured the audience by boldly recounting the crash and his life in prison. Renée and Eric conclude the presentation with a compelling embrace. In 2012 Contemporary Christian Singer/Songwriter Matthew West wrote and released the song “Forgiveness” inspired by Renée’s story and on November 26, 2012, Eric was released from prison. Eric continues to join Renée in her presentations. Hundreds of thousands of people have heard Renée and Eric share about the impact of his decision to drink and drive and the healing power of forgiveness. Renée and Eric are very passionate about their mission to stop DUI.
Serving Hillsborough County Since 1971 Helen B. Justice, M.A. Executive Director Visit our web site at www.DriveSafeTampa.org
Tampa Alcohol Coalition
Tips for Alcohol Safe Holidays
Don’t Become a Statistic
In 2015, 66 people died and 993 were injured in alcohol‐related crashes in Hillsborough County. 4,442 people were arrested for DUI in 2016.
Learn more about preventing underage drinking and impaired driving by visiting the Tampa Alcohol Coalition website at www.tampatac.org or e‐mail: er.snelling@verizon.net
Stop DUI & Underage Drinking
Excessive drinking can ruin holiday celebrations‐ drink in moderation. Provide alcohol‐free beverages for your guests. Instruct bartenders to check IDs and to stop serving alcohol to any impaired guests. Make sure that impaired guests have a safe ride home with a sober driver Taxis, designated sober drivers, Tow‐to‐Go, Uber and Lyft are all good safe ride alternatives Don’t host an underage drinking party. Consider the possible consequences: arrest, jail, fines, lawsuits, alcohol‐related fatalities.
908 people died in alcohol‐suspected crashes in Florida in 2015 10,785 people were injured in alcohol‐ suspected crashes in Florida in 2015 Research shows alcohol may damage a teen’s developing brain. Alcohol kills more young people than all other illegal drugs combined. Parents, teachers, students, law enforcement officers, store clerks, bar managers, and concerned community members must all work together to reduce impaired driving and underage drinking.