Musicians, Olympians & Artists Join Members of Congress to Highlight Efforts Against Impaired Driving

Musicians, Olympians & Artists Join Members of Congress to Highlight Efforts Against Impaired Driving

Popular CA Based Singer/Songwriter Turns Her Personal Tragedy to Triumph

WHO: * Emily Richards, Founder of AWAKE Community (Artists Working
For Awareness, Knowledge and Education), President of
MP3tunes, member of the Los Angeles Chapter of Mothers Against
Drunk Driving (MADD) and volunteer for Recording Artists
Actors and Athletes Against Drunk Driving, San Diego, CA
* Timothy Goebel, Olympic Bronze Medalist, figure skating
* U.S. Representatives Jon Porter (R-NV) & Shelley Berkley
(D-NV), Co-Chairs of the Congressional Stop DUI Caucus
* U.S. Representatives Christopher Shays (R-CT) & Louise
Slaughter (D-NY), Co-Chairs of the Congressional Arts Caucus
* U.S. Representatives Leonard Boswell (D-IA), Ken Calvert
(R-CA), Chris Cannon (R-UT) & Rick Larsen (D-WA), Co-Chairs of
the Congressional Caucus to Fight and Control Methamphetamine
* U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Member of the Congressional
Stop DUI Caucus
* Numerous groups in the fight against impaired driving
* Dot Maver, Executive Director of the Peace Alliance

WHAT: Second annual event to honor, unify and energize those involved
in the fight against impaired driving via music and the fine
arts.

WHEN: Wednesday, April 5, 2006; 6 to 8 p.m.

WHERE: Cannon Caucus Room 345, Capitol Hill, Washington, DC

WHY: Emily Richards founded AWAKE Community in 2000 after her
19 year-old sister, Annie, was killed by a driver impaired by
alcohol and methamphetamines. Impaired driving continues to kill
more than 17,000 people in the U.S. each year. The goal of the
event is to use the arts and the artistic community to build a
bridge from Capitol Hill to local communities by synergizing the
collective missions of the multiple organizations working to
reduce impaired driving. Visit www.awakecommunity.org for more
information.

April is Alcohol Awareness Month. Sponsored by the National
Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Alcohol Awareness
Month was started in 1987 as a national public awareness campaign
to focus on alcoholism and alcohol-related issues, including
drunk driving.

Attention Editors: The event includes a live musical performance by Emily Richards and a unique art memorial created by the graduating class of Pacific University (Portland, OR) made from 17,000 keys, symbolizing the lives lost to

impaired driving in 2005.

Contact: Cathy Gillen (410) 547-1602 office or
(443) 463-4449 cell

PRNewswire -- April 3

Source: AWAKE Community

Web site: http://www.awakecommunity.org/

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