DIVAS SPONSORS “DUI: A POWERFUL LESSON” WITH MARK STERNER
GAINESVILLE (March 26) – On Thursday, April 8, 2004 at 7:00pm in the Hosch Theatre (John S. Burd Center for the Performing Arts) at Brenau University, the Devoted Individuals Visualizing Awareness and Sensibility (DIVAS), in conjunction with the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), will sponsor speaker Mark Sterner and his hard hitting awareness program that demonstrates the real dangers and consequences of impaired driving - “DUI: A Powerful Lesson.”
Mark Sterner’s life changed drastically when three of his best friends and fraternity brothers were killed in a drinking and driving car crash during spring break. Mark was at the wheel of the car, intoxicated. Sterner ended up with three felony manslaughter convictions and spent three years in a Florida prison.
He was scheduled to be the first in his family to graduate college. Instead, he was the first member of his family to go to prison.
During their week of spring break, the friends each took a turn as the designated driver. On their final night, they fatefully decided that the “least drunk” among them would drive. Although Sterner was less drunk than his friends, he was still impaired, and was held responsible for the accident and the deaths of his friends.
“Would my friends be married now?” Sterner wonders. “Would they have kids? I don’t know. I’ll wonder ‘what if’ for the rest of my life.”
He doesn’t want others to have to ask themselves the same questions, so Sterner shares his message with high school and college students across the country. To date, Mark has spoken to nearly a million students.
Mark has received requests to appear on Oprah, Montel, Geralado, 20/20 and 48 Hours. He has denied these requests for two reasons. First, he feels his presentation is most powerful in person. Second, out of consideration for his friends’ families, Sterner does not want national media attention that might cause them to have to relive the tragedy.
The families of Sterner’s friends have encouraged his efforts to prevent impaired driving, and supported his reduced prison sentence so he could share his story.
Sterner shows a video the men made during their trips. Images of laughing college kids driving from one bar to the next, downing shots of alcohol and dancing are followed by still photos of the car after the crash. The impact is incredible on students and other audience participants who quickly realize the dangers of their own drinking and driving decisions.
Please join us for this worthwhile educational program. Admission is free.
For more information, contact Tracey Cameron at 770-534-6108.
