Jorge Barrera
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 27/00) - The Yellowknife Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD) chapter have raised $107,000 toward financing a national conference in Yellowknife next March.

Major Sponsors GNWT Dept of Education: $10,000 Yellowknife Catholic Schools: $10,000 Elks Club: $10,000 National Cost Guard: $10,000 Diavik: $10,000 GNWT Dept of Health and Social Services: 10,000 Yellowknife District 1: $15,000 Yellowknife City Council: $10,000

The students have been banging on the doors of local businesses for funds to cover the costs of the 11th annual Canadian Youth Against Impaired Driving Conference March 22-25 in Yellowknife.

Yellowknife council recently gave a $10,000 grant to conference organizers.

The total cost for the conference ranges around the $200,000 mark but the rest of the money will be raised through delegate fees.

The conference is expected to trigger spinoff economic benefits for Yellowknife through it's 500 delegates.

"The city will benefit from the spending habits of teenagers," said Candace Underhay, conference spokesperson and Grade 11 student at St. Pat's.

The Yellowknife SADD chapter has a short but successful history. The chapter was initiated Nov 1995.

According to chapter organizer Michele Thoms the existence of SADD has reduced the number of drunk driving accidents in Yellowknife.

"Between 1989 and 1993 the yearly average of impaired driving accidents was 27," said Thoms.

"Between 1995 and 1998 the number dropped to 17," said Thoms.

SADD is a national program and the sister organization of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).

SADD focuses on educating youth about the dangers of impaired driving through videos and presentations.

Three people died last week from a snowmobile accident in Fort Good Hope and police say alcohol was involved. Thoms believes that if the community had a SADD chapter the accident may not have happened.

"I want to bring SADD to all the communities in the NWT," said Thoms.

Chapters in Hay River and Rae Edzo are currently in the works.

According to Underhay the conference will do a lot to promote SADD in the NWT as well as promoting youth as a whole.

"This conference will show a positive thing that youth have done," said Underhay.