JourneySafe on TV!

The Sabet family and the JourneySafe program will be included in a special report on prom night dangers: "THS Investigates - Prom Nightmares" on the E! network. The episode will air multiple times during the month of May. Check your local listings for showtimes. Remeber to set Your Tivo or DVR!

"Pass It On" Campaign Reaches Over 100,000 Users

A big thank you to all of you who have participated in what's now become our "Pass it On" campaign. In our last newsletter, you may recall, we asked you to watch our JourneySafe presentation video and "pass it on" to your friends and family, especially those with teen drivers. We have received comments from people all over the country thanking us for sharing our story but more importantly asking for more information and ideas on how they can bring JourneySafe to their communities.

If you aren't among the more than 100,000 who have watched our video yet, please take a moment and do so and then be sure to "pass it on" to all the young drivers in your lilfe (and the old drivers too who need reminding to turn off the cell and not drive distracted!)

The Work of the Organization Grows

Many of you have written to us wondering about plans for our next walk-a-thon fundraiser. We are so very appreciative of your support and hope that when the time comes for our next big fundraiser we can depend on you to help out. However, at this time we have had to put a hold on another fund raising event. The day-to-day business of the JourneySafe organization and the presentation of our program is taking up all of our time. We are averaging 8-10 speaking engagements per month and that number is growing as word spreads about our program. On top of that we are continuing to update the website, research and write grants, (for financial help in support of our efforts) and are personally responding to all inquiries for more information about our program. As you can imagine that leaves us little extra time to begin the huge undertaking of a Walk-A-Thon at this time. We are considering a fundraiser for sometime in the coming fall, but we have no definite plans as to what that would look like.

So, instead of orchestrating the huge event a walk-a-thon is, we are humbly asking each of you to consider JourneySafe in your charitable donation giving this year. Your contribution will help us to continue to spread the JourneySafe message and program. We are a fiscally conservative 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in which 98% of all funds received go directly toward advancing the goals of the JourneySafe program and the Gillian Sabet Memorial Foundation. Click here for more info.

As always, we thank you and are grateful for your support of JourneySafe.

San Clemente High School ASB Reminds Students to JourneySafe to Winter Formal

Students at San Clemente High School got a little something extra in their winter formal invitations this year. The SCHS Associated Student Body included the JourneySafe "Remember the 5" tips to survive as a safety reminder to their peers attending the dance. The SCHS ASB plans to continue these safety service announcements in their prom invitations and are planning other projects to promote JourneySafe on campus.

"This is an easy way for schools to begin promoting the JourneySafe program," said Ron Pirayoff, ASB Director at SCHS. "I applaud my student leaders who, after viewing the JourneySafe video, felt compelled to begin educating their peers on the ways to keep them safe on the roads."

JourneySafe congratulates SCHS, its ASB and administration for its support and for being the first high school to promote the JourneySafe message in such a creative way and for including a JourneySafe link on the ASB activities section of the school website.

A Special JourneySafe Message from David

When we first started JourneySafe, I thought we'd have our door busted down by the Insurance, Healthcare and Automobile industries, all anxious to partner with us to spread the JourneySafe program in an effort to save teen lives. Other than generous support from my medical colleagues, local hospitals and local auto dealerships, the Healthcare and Automotive industries have been slow to become involved and I'm at a loss as to the reason why.

It is hard to imagine how this national public health crisis -- 6,000 teens die each year in car crashes -- doesn't seem to be on their corporate philanthropy radar screens.

While I don't believe that these industries are against teen driving safety, it is ever more clear to me that they need a stronger urging from us to step forward and support JourneySafe.

The one shining light in all of this is that AllState Insurance has been our strongest corporate supporter, to date, and has expressed continued willingness to assist us with our goals. For this, we are extremely grateful for without their generous underwriting support, we wouldn't have been able to afford to produce our video and manual, award scholarships to deserving young people, or keep our website up and running.

But, it will take many more corporations to help us save teen lives and this is where you come in.

If you have personal or business relationships with anyone in the Healthcare, Automotive or Insurance markets, I urge you to contact us so that we might create a partnership with your contacts that will allow JourneySafe to continue to make a difference in the lives of teens, by keeping them safe on the road.

Thank you.
-David