MADD monument planned for P.E.I.

P.E.I. hopes to soon have amonument to Islanders killed by impaired drivers. Mothers Against Drunk Driving is looking for a donated location for a monument and a funeral company sponsor to do the engraving.

The memorials put up since 2010 in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador have been generated by MADD's volunteers, along with funeral home sponsors.

"We are asking the public at large to identify themself to us, MADD Canada, if they have lost a loved one to impaired driving," said Susan MacAskill regional manager of MADD in the Atlantic region. "Not an impaired driver in their family but one who has been innocently affected by impaired driving."

MADD then asks families to sign a waiver and provide documentation including a police report or newspaper clipping indicating drugs or alcohol were a factor in the death of their loved one, to protect itself against lawsuits.

On the MADD monument in Newfoundland and Labrador 62 names have been engraved, 50 in New Brunswick and 90 in Nova Scotia.

Families looking for more

MacAskill expects the momument in P.E.I. to closely resemble the ones in N.S. and N.B. She hopes to have it in place within a year.

Names can be added of Islanders who died years ago, MacAskill said, as long as there's credible documentation.

"What we're discovering through these types of victim initiatives is that people are identifying themselves to our organization that have lost a loved on a number of years ago,but other than at the time of having a police investigation, of course a traditional funeral, there's never been any type of memorial," MacAskill shared.

She compares the monuments to war memorials, where people can pay tribute annually after a tragic loss.

MADD has four chapters in P.E.I. and has been holding commemorative candlelight ceremonies the past three years to honour victims of impaired driving, to which it invites police, media and families.

Anyone wishing to donate land or services can call MADDtoll free 1-866-798-6233 or email atlantic@madd.ca.

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