New facility for AADD

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Chad Warren
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE. La. --  Airmen Against Drunk Driving volunteers received a facility upgrade this month courtesy of the 2nd Bomb Wing chapel.

AADD is a volunteer-based organization which provides free rides for Airmen who have been drinking and their plans to get home fall through. AADD has been helping reduce the number of drunk driving related incidents since its creation here. Until this month, the volunteers worked out of the blue room, a common area located in the Stratofortress dormitory.

"The facilities weren't bad," said Airman 1st Class Karina Reyes, AADD president and frequent volunteer. "But we were having a problem with dorm residents leaving the blue room messy and the AADD volunteers would have to clean it before their shift even started."

Starting the first weekend in March, AADD volunteers are working out of the River's Edge, an Airman ministry facility located adjacent to the 2nd Medical Group clinic.
Though they were not actively seeking a new facility, the organization was happy to relocate.

"The chaplains actually offered it to us," said Reyes. "We had a vote of all of the AADD squadron POCs and decided to relocate to the River's Edge."

The new facility has multiple gaming systems, blu-ray capable televisions, snacks and other amenities to make the volunteer time as enjoyable as possible.

"The River's Edge provides more of a home setting than the room they were using," said Patrick Catanese, River's Edge coordinator. "We were doing the same job. We were both helping people; it just made sense for us to join together."

The move also works to the advantage of both organizations from a recruiting aspect. According to Reyes, Airmen hanging out at the River's Edge may see the volunteers and decide to join. Additionally, AADD volunteers who have never been to the River's Edge get to see all it has to offer.

"It's going really well," said Reyes. "We are actually getting a lot more volunteers now. People who are curious about the River's Edge will volunteer to see what it has to offer."
Every life lost to drunk driving is preventable. More volunteers mean more available drivers. More drivers mean more lives saved.

For more information or to volunteer, contact your unit's AADD representative.