Job Well Done

Job Well Done

        Whew! It has been a fast and furious past eight weeks for Safe Sober Prom Night! There are many stories of teamwork, enthusiasm, participation, passion, and success!

       The students’ participation and enthusiasm make us optimistic about the future of our community. Our students are bright, talented, motivated, and really trying to do the right things fro a successful future. They are well on their way!

       Teams of Daggett Shuler attorneys and staff personally visited approximately 35 area high schools encouraging students to sign a pledge not to drink or use drugs on prom night, distributing student designed t-shirts, and speaking to the students. “Positive messages to our youth ensure the quality of our community for years to come!”

        This year the firm has personally paid for, delivered, and distributed more than 13,500 t-shirts to high school students in the Triad area, and made them available to all high schools throughout North and South Carolina.

        We have also had some technological breakthroughs with the website at www.SafeSober.com, including virtual pledge cards, video contests, and many resources for teens. The SSPN Facebook page has become very popular for the students Next year portends to be even bigger and better!

       Of course there are also the difficult parts. We encounter those who have lost loved ones, or are injured or disabled, in car accidents due to drunk drivers. Meeting those suffering folks and hearing their stories really hits home for us since it was our professional contact with people hurting in these ways that inspired us to start the SSPN program 21 years ago.

        Most of all, SSPN is a story of success. Success for our teens, our community, and our Daggett Shuler team. We are already brainstorming for Safe Sober Prom Night 2012! We look forward to having you join us!

Half Way

Half Way

Doesn't it always seem to feel really good to be half way done?  Well, this past week at Daggett Shuler we passed the half way mark with our 2011 Safe Sober Prom Night program.  So far, so good.   We have had no reports of prom night car accidents of other tragedies.

Part of the fun of SSPN is our interaction with the students.  So far this year we have reached over 10,000 juniors and seniors in the triad area.  All these students have had the opportunity to sign the Safe Sober Prom Night "Do It Right!" pledge and to receive a free t-shirt.  Some of the students have mentioned that they have been waiting since they were freshmen and sophomores and are excited that "now it's my turn!"  These students inspire us.

We are also inspired by the attorneys and staff on our team here at Daggett Shuler.  Out teams lead the program at all of the area high schools.  They do this out of care, concern, and as a way to make a positive contribution to our community.  We certainly thank our many helping hands that make this program so successful.  At the same time, we also thank our in office team members as we all cover for each other during this eight-week period of time when we are all doing double duty.

Although it has been fun to pass the half way point in the Safe Sober program, it is interesting that in life we never really know where half way is.  We always need to be looking up and forward, trying to improve and do better, not just coasting.  In fact, this is a lesson that students teach us at every school we visit.

A hallmark of the SSPN program is positive peer pressure.  Positive friendships and activities with peers help us establish values, and then these influences are a rock of stability as we continue through life.

Peers also push us and help us to be better.  Students do this in a very positive forward looking fashion.  They help to lift each other's spirits and keep each other accountable.  Peers provide a core group of support.  Selecting and encouraging positive peers and providing them support, too, actually goes a long way toward building our own successes.

Half way is certainly exciting!  However, half way also means that we need to keep looking forward, improving, and doing better.  As life progresses and we all look back at our successes, we will see a long list of positive peers that have helped to make us better and have made us what we are.

Personally, I am not sure if I have made it "half way" yet, but I know there are many peers that have helped me every step of the way.  Thank you to all who've helped us get to the half way point, and thank you for the army of peers and peer groups out there that encourage all of us, and particularly our students, in a positive fashion.

Transforming Impact

Transforming Impact

Have you considered whether you ever have a transforming impact on others?  Perhaps one of the highest callings we can have is to have a transforming impact on another.

Students Signing the “Do it Right!” Pledge

Having a heart for others seems to be a prerequisite to having a transforming impact.  This is where we are so proud of our Daggett Shuler team.  They are able to step out of their daily jobs in order to make a difference.  They have a heart for students - I’ve seen it!

Of course, our Safe Sober Prom Night campaign comes to mind.  This isn’t just a program against drugs and alcohol, but also an avenue to let us have a positive and influencing impact on teens in our community.  Every now and then we see clear evidence that our team has influenced positive change in students.

Many students really don’t need a lot to be influenced.  A kind smile or word of encouragement will make their day.  For some, an arm around the shoulder with a twinkle in the eye will do the trick.  We love being with the students, and they seem to enjoy being with us too.

We also need to help teenagers have a transforming impact on each other. Positive peer pressure in a founding principle of Safe Sober Prom Night.  Perhaps peers are the strongest transforming people in our lives . . . it is also a big responsibility.

Interestingly, you just never know when you might be having a transforming impact on someone else.  This can take many forms - a single act of kindness, continuous mentoring, or a special gift or calling.  We may not ever even know the impact we have had - that’s one reason why we have to just keep on doing it!

When you transform a life you know you have made a lasting difference - it can’t get any better than that!

Lights, Camera, Action!

Lights, Camera, Action!

        Are you ready? Prom season is now just right around the corner. Lights, Camera, Action - it will be here. We are all excited and ready for this special time.

SSPN Commercial Shoot - Mount Tabor High School

         This past week we really experienced "Lights, Camera, Action" with a group of students at Mt. Tabor High School. Mt. Tabor had the highest percentage of students take the Safe Sober Prom Night "Do It Right!" pledge out of all the all local high schools. In doing so they won the opportunity to participate in this year’s Public Service Announcement TV promotional advertisement.

         The Mt. Tabor students have great leadership with Principal Wiess, and faculty leaders Ms. Bailey. Ms. Bailey is the only faculty leader who has been in place all 21 years of SSPN. They helped coordinate the students for this extra-curricular activity, which really turned out to be a great experience.

         With the help of WXII TV we were able to turn the auditorium at the high school into a temporary studio in order to shoot the spot. In the process, Griff Shuler and I were able to give the students a bit of a lesson in actual production, as well as having a good bit of fun with them.

          Our Daggett Shuler team is always impressed with our local students. These students at Mt. Tabor were top notch in all respects. We enjoyed the afternoon we spent with them, had a lot of fun, and are excited about their futures.

         This year’s SSPN ad should hit the airways in the next week or so. It will also be posted at www.SafeSober.com. Also at the website students will be able to take the virtual pledge, contact friends, get prom tips, and keep up with all of the SSPN activities. Also, please support our students on the SSPN Facebook page.

        Please join us in encouraging our students - they are off to a great start!

Safe Sober T-Shirt Design Contest

LOCAL STUDENT WINS T-SHIRT DESIGN CONTEST

Safe Sober Prom Night Kicks Off 21^st Year

        The winner of the 2011 Safe Sober Prom Night T-shirt design contest is Cassandra Ellis, a senior at Career Center High School and Forsyth Middle College.  Cassandra’s design will be featured on more than 13,000 t-shirts distributed to high school students in the Triad area as part of the Safe Sober Prom Night program.

        During a surprise presentation at the Career Center, Cassandra was presented with the very first 2011 T-shirt produced and a scholarship check for $500 by attorneys David Daggett and Griff Shuler. Also in attendance were Cassandra’s family, school officials, and the Safe Sober staff.

         Safe Sober Prom Night is a non-profit organization co-founded in 1991 by attorney David Daggett. The goal of Safe Sober Prom Night is to provide ongoing awareness and encourage positive peer pressure to reduce underage drinking and driving among young people.

        Safe Sober Prom Night encourages high school students to be safe with a written pledge to stay drug and alcohol free on prom night. Students are given incentives to keep their commitment, including scholarships and a chance to win $1,000 for their school.   To date, more than 400,000 students have signed the Safe Sober pledge. 

Running Safety

Running Safety

       Safety is an important part of fitness activities. Our friends at Fleet Feet Sports along with our Daggett Shuler team recently put on a Safety Clinic for runners. We weren’t sure how big of a draw "safety" would be, but were impressed when close to 100 runners, both beginners and advanced, showed up for the discussions.

        We were joined by Sergeant (and Ironman) John Morris of the Winston-Salem Police Department, Captain Todd Smith of the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Department, and Sergeant Alex Justice of North Carolina Highway Patrol. Between them they have more than 60 years of law enforcement and accident reconstruction experience. They also have experience in event and course safety and security. Unfortunately, they also frequently see injury and death. In fact, Sgt. Justice sees death almost daily.

        The officers made us all starkly aware that injury and death are real. Fortunately, good safety habits can make our fitness activities fun and safe. So, let’s review a few of the safety tips that apply to all runners and pedestrians.

         Follow the law! Run on the left side of the road facing traffic, or on the sidewalk or shoulder if available. Cross only at crosswalks or at intersections. And, please obey all traffic signals.

         We also reviewed the practical realities. Cars don’t see you when you are running. Accordingly, you need to be seen, be aware, and be alert. Wear visible, reflective clothing; and, please never, never wear earphones while running. I get a lot of push back on the last part, but it is never safe to wear earphones. You can’t hear traffic, or other predators, and are not as aware of your surroundings. So, please, PLEASE, enjoy the sounds of nature, be alert, and stay safe.

         Another important consideration is to have good insurance. Health insurance is very important. Also, review your auto, homeowners, disability, and hospital/medical indemnity coverages. All of the coverages may cover you while exercising, bicycling, or as a pedestrian. It is also a good idea to carry I.D. and medical information while running.

         Lastly, it is important to be good examples for others in the fitness community and good ambassadors to the community at large. Please help spread the message of safety. You can also download safety tips here.

Rights for Injured Workers

Rights for Injured Workers

       Everyone can agree that we want workers in our state to be safe and to be treated fairly. Anyone who has suffered a work injury knows that it can be tough getting what is fair, particularly if the injuries are severe or if future income earning ability is limited.

       Fairness should not be political, but unfortunately it is. A new Workers’ Compensation bill is about to be filed in the North Carolina Senate and North Carolina House of Representatives that proposes to significantly cut benefits paid to injured workers.

        Big business and insurance companies are pushing for a change in long-standing workers’ compensation laws that would result in: (1) cutting off benefits arbitrarily after a certain number of weeks after the workplace injury, even if the injured worker is still disabled from all work; and (2) cutting off benefits even sooner, if the insurance company can show that there is a job within the injured worker’s physical restrictions, even if the job pays substantially less, has no room for advancement, and has no benefits.

      People across the state of North Carolina need to contact their legislators NOW to let them know that they do not support a change in workers’ compensation laws because this new bill would significantly affect so many injured workers. People need to tell their legislators that people need to be heard on the impact of this bill, and public comments need to be allowed before they vote on any bill.

      People also need to let their legislators know that a bill like this would shift the burden of workplace injuries from the insurance companies onto taxpayers because many injured workers would have to file for government, public programs for support.

       For more information or to contact us see DaggettShulerLaw.com