Over 1,000 walkers and runners are expected to participate in the 13th Annual Walk Like MADD & MADD Dash Fort Lauderdale 5K on Sunday, April 28, at SE 1st Avenue and Las Olas Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale. Since its establishment in 2011, the event has been successful in raising over $3.8 million to save lives and provide support to victims of drunk driving, making it the most triumphant grassroots fundraiser in the history of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the nation’s largest nonprofit working to protect families from drunk driving and underage drinking. The event is an annual signature fundraising occasion of MADD Southeast Florida, aiming to end drunk driving.
The event boasts several sponsors, including UKG as the Signature Sponsor and the Sheriff’s Foundation of Broward County as the Presenting Sponsor. Additional sponsors include Broward County Sheriff’s Office, Durée & Company, Florida Highway Patrol, Fort Lauderdale Police Department, JM Family, and Memorial Healthcare System as Corporate Champion Sponsors. The event also features Spotlight Sponsors LaCroix, Publix, Westway Towing, and MADD Milestone Sponsors David Geronemus, Mitzi Lyman and Crowe.
Event sponsorships are being offered for an upcoming event. Various awards will be presented to the participants, including top fundraiser, top team (private and corporate), and overall and age-group awards for 5K finishers. To register, visit www.walklikemadd.org/fortlauderdale.
MADD Southeast Florida recently organized a VIP kick-off party at BBX Capital in Fort Lauderdale to mark the beginning of the Walk Like MADD & MADD Dash Fort Lauderdale 5K event. It has already raised more than $100,000 in 2024, which will be utilized to save lives and provide support to victims of drunk driving in the South Florida community.
Guests enjoyed light bites from Red Chair Catering, mocktails by LaCroix, and a unique opportunity to win exclusive prizes such as beautiful jewelry from Daoud’s Fine Jewelry, priceless autographed footballs from the Jason Taylor Foundation, tickets to a Florida Panthers game, and more. Guests also enjoyed a performance by poet Shaviah Hamilton from the Jason Taylor Foundation’s bluapple Poetry Network.
“We are so grateful for the ongoing support from our sponsors, volunteers and attendees to educate the community on the tragedies that drunk driving causes,” says Geronemus, who is also the immediate past chairwoman of the MADD National Board of Directors. “Our Kick-off Party was a huge success with not only our longtime supporters in attendance, but we also welcomed many new supporters. We know that the run/walk on April 28 will put us one step closer to seeing a future with no more victims of this 100 percent preventable crime.”
The Kick-Off Party’s host committee comprised of Patrick Daoud from Daoud’s Fine Jewelry, Alexa Diaz from Neighbors 4 Neighbors, Maggie Gunther from Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, Gene Harvey from Weston Rotary, Lois Marino from BBX Capital, Jessica Rodriguez from Cloud Nine Nonprofit Advisors, Durée Ross from Durée & Company, Avesta Shaygannik from Northwestern Mutual, Samantha Strouse from BBX Capital, and George Taylor from Brinkley Morgan.
Photo Credit: Downtown Photo
