Junior League of Greenwich Comes Through for Safe Rides to the Tune of $5,000

A crowd gathered outside the Junior League house at 231 East Putnam Ave to celebrate the generous gift that will revive the Safe Rides program. Alessandra Messineo Long, the Junior League’s president elect and Jennifer Stranzl, the Junior League’s community director were on hand to present a giant check which was met with delight from several members of the First Selectmen’s Youth Commission.

The high schoolers, who attend both public and private schools in Greenwich gathered with Chief Heavey, Youth Services Coordinator Jenny Byxbee and James Boutelle, the exec director of Transportation Association of Greenwich (TAG) to acknowledge the Community Grant which will bring back a program the teens advocated passionately for.

safe rides 2

Jenny Byxbee, Katherine Du of Greenwich Academy, Madison Blair of GHS, James Plewniak of GHS, Alexander Schnur, Julianna Armentano, Alessandra Messineo Long of the Junior League and Jennifer Stranzl. Credit: Leslie Yager

“These kids have given up their Friday nights,” Jenny Byxbee said, giving credit for the advocacy to the teens, who can now bank on having rides if needed on the nights of Junior prom on April 25 and Senior Prom on June 6. Byxbee said the $5,000 grant means Safe Rides can establish a regular schedule into September, though a full year of funding for the program is roughly $20,000.

The teens were ecstatic. “There was a survey of about 800 students at GHS and 70% of the kids said they’d known someone who drove drunk,” said Alex Buffone, an 11th grader at GHS.

“We’re trying to avoid a drunk driving death here,” said TAG executive director James Boutelle, who has been driving TAG vehicles for Safe Rides.

safe rides w: check

The Junior League’s Messineo Long gave credit to the teens. “Without you stepping up, we would not have known about the need for the funding,” she said, adding that there were several other worthy applications for funding in the running. “There are so many unmet needs in Town, but this group had a really great grant application. These kids gave up their time and energy and demonstrated significant passion.”

“On a night like prom, we put out four vehicles,” said Mr. Boutelle. “We gave rides to 30 people on one night in October.”

See also

Safe Rides: Teens Helping Teens by Cerissa Orbegoso

First Selectman’s Youth Commission: Saving Safe Rides

Greenwich First Selectman Spends Saturday Night with Safe Rides

Reaction at Greenwich High School to Closing of Safe Rides


 

logo FINAL by AndréEmail news tips to Greenwich Free Press editor [email protected]
Like us on Facebook
Subscribe to the daily Greenwich Free Press newsletter.