Photographs by William Taufic.
Most of us have heard the public service announcement targeting young drivers: “Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk.”
But the Greenwich Red Cross chapter goes a step further, recruiting and training high school students to safely transport their peers home, no questions asked. Since 1982, the Safe Rides program has allowed kids to call for a lift when they’re under the influence—or have a gut instinct that they shouldn’t get in a car with a friend (or adult) who’s had too much to drink. The success of the program hinges on amazing teens like Gia Vaccarezza, who are on call to drive on rotating Friday and Saturday nights from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Gia started driving for Safe Rides in her senior year at Greenwich High, and prides herself on learning along the way to read maps so well that she could maneuver up through the backwoods without getting lost. She also got to map out some valuable life lessons during her term as president of the sixty-five-member Red Cross Youth Council.
“One of my favorite programs was Open Eyes. As seniors, we were trained to educate sophomores about HIV/AIDS,” says Gia, now a freshman at Skidmore College. “Presenting the information was nerve-racking at first, but then our group relaxed and I think we were more successful at getting the message across than adults would be.”
“The number of lives that Gia has touched is already more than most people will ever reach,” says Jessica Chapman, director of preparedness and community outreach for the Greenwich Red Cross chapter. “I depended on Gia so much for years. She is a wonderful example of what a volunteer can accomplish.”
For details, visit greenwichredcross.org or call 203-869-8444.