MADD SC/NC Educate NFL’s Panther Rookie Class
As part of the NFL and MADD partnership, staff from MADD South Carolina and MADD North Carolina, along with victim speaker Nicole Hutchinson of North Carolina, met with the Carolina Panthers rookie class to discuss safe decision making when it comes to drinking, drugs, and driving. On June 1st, MADD SC Program Director Steven Burritt was among the team that addressed the Panthers’ 2017 draft picks and rookie free agents. Our talk covered MADD’s Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving, as well as the impact of a DUI arrest on a players career and reputation. Nicole shared the story of losing her younger sister Darcie, and players also heard about Delanie Walker, the All-Pro tight end who lost his aunt and uncle in a drunk driving crash leaving the Super Bowl Delanie has just played in.
The Panthers talk was like many that MADD delivered to NFL first year players for teams across the country. Under the partnership, MADD volunteers are also often at NFL games promoting their designated driver programs.