Kern County calls for end of drunk driving in 2016 ‘Walk Like MADD’, presented by Chain | Cohn | Clark

Kern County came together for the third year Sept. 24 at the Park at River Walk, called for an end of drunk driving, and raised more than $62,000 in the process to fight against drinking and driving locally.

The 2016 Bakersfield Walk Like MADD and MADD Dash – presented by the Bakersfield accident law firm Chain | Cohn | Clark – aimed to raise awareness of the DUI problem in our local communities, raise funds to stop drunken driving locally, and provide support to local victims and survivors of drunken driving crashes. It has become one of the largest running events in the area, according to Bakersfield Track Club, with more than 800 registered timed participants.

The morning featured a touching ceremony with speeches from representatives from Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Kern County, victims of DUI crashes, District Attorney Lisa Green, and Bakersfield Mayor Harvey Hall, among others. Following was a kid’s fun run, a 5K run with medals awarded in age categories, and a march by victims, their families and supporters from our community.

“We want to thank our advocates, partners, teams, participants and volunteers for making Kern County’s 2016 Walk Like MADD & MADD Dash 5K a huge success,” said Carla Pearson, victim advocate for MADD Kern County. “We hope Kern County will commit to continue alongside us for the next 365 days as we work to prevent this 100 percent preventable crime, and end drunk driving here.”

Joining in the event as sponsors were Chain | Cohn | Clark (as the presenting sponsor), Wells Fargo, State Farm, Chevron, Kern County Prosecutors Association, Kern County Bar Association Foundation, FedEx, Kern Schools Federal Credit Union, Clinica Sierra Vista, Special Treatment Education & Prevention Services Inc., KGET-17 and Telemundo, KERO ABC 23, Bakersfield Life Magazine, and Eyewitness News (KBAK-29, KBFX-58), and KUZZ, among others.

Medals and trophies were awarded to the fastest runner in their respective age categories, with results posted on the Bakersfield Track Club website. Awards were also given to the following top fundraisers:

• Top Friends and Family Team: MADD Dogs
• Top Individual Fundraiser: Mike and Sally Yraceburn
• Law Enforcement Challenge: Kern County District Attorney’s Office
• Corporate Challenge: Kern Schools Federal Credit Union

Last year, Kern County saw more than 4,000 DUI arrests, averaging nearly 12 DUI arrests per day, according to the Kern County District Attorney’s Office. And 10 people were killed because of a decision to get behind the wheel after drinking. The somber statistics continue this year.

Since 2014, the annual Walk Like MADD & MADD Dash 5K has raised more than $160,000. It’s not too late to join the fight – you can donate until Oct. 24 at www.walklikemadd.org/bakersfield

And stay tuned for information on the 2017 Walk Like MADD & MADD Dash 5K held Sept. 23, 2017.

Supporting Chain | Cohn | Clark, DUI victims

Chain | Cohn | Clark would like to thank the following individuals and companies for supporting the law firm’s team at the 2016 Bakersfield Walk Like MADD & MADD Dash 5K.

• Tom Stevenson and Atlas Settlement Group
• Attorney’s Certified Services 
• Craig Braun
• Wood & Randall Court Reporters
• Glinn and Giordano Physical Therapy
• Sanjog Pangarker
• Jane Riley-Pugh
• Deborah Cresswell

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MEDIA COVERAGE

• Walk to support DUI victims raises $62K (The Bakersfield Californian – Sept. 24, 2016) (online version)
• Community raises $62,000 for MADD at 5k race (Eyewitness News – Sept. 24, 2016)
• I can’t help myself: I’m psyched for MADD race (The Bakersfield Californian – Sept. 17, 2016) (online version)
• 3rd Annual ‘Walk Like MADD and MADD Dash’ 5k run (KERO-23, ABC – Sept. 24, 2016) (online version)
• DUI crash survivor shares her story, set to take part in Walk Like MADD and Dash 2016 (KERO-23, ABC) (online version)

PREVIOUS MEDIA COVERAGE

• Local MADD now has advisory board in efforts to fight DUI (The Bakersfield Californian – Aug. 7, 2016)
• Spirit of Fight: Community comes together for annual event to end drunken driving in Kern County (Bakersfield Life Magazine – July 2016)
• Not in My Town PSA (KGET-17, NBC – 2016)
• Pulling together for a preventable problem (Bakersfield Life Magazine – September 2016 Issue) (online version)
• Walk Like MADD & MADD Dash 5K PSA (KUZZ)