The "Remembering Karen" Candlelight Vigil was a success this spring.  About one hundred people gathered at St. John the Evangelist Church in South Buffalo on March 6th to mark the 10th anniversary of Karen Kwiatkowski's death. Karen was killed in a car crash on Seneca, within walking distance of the park.  Friends, family, and many others impacted by drinking and driving came together to celebrate Karen's life and remember the many victims killed in DWI-related crashes.  Songs included Kenny Chesney's "Who you'd be today" and Jordan Hill's "Remember Me This Way".   Deanna Russo, Karen's sister, spoke about the purpose of the vigil - to not only remember those lost in drunk driving crashes but also to walk away from the evening with a sense of vigilance - to fight drunk driving in the community as part of C.A.I. D.  Erie County STOP DWI Coordinator John Sullivan, Mrs. New York Jennifer Stehlar, and a representative from the Buffalo Police Department all shared stories of how their lives have been impacted by drunk driving, and they emphasized the need for change.  Pat Reeves lost her daughter in a drunk driving crash, and she, like Karen's family, feels the heartache and pain on a daily basis.  Pat shared with those in attendance how another very important person was stolen away because of someone's bad choice.  Karen's college roommates Sara Maloney and Danielle Finkowski shared personal memories of Karen and what their lives have been like following the crash.

We'd like to thank the many people who donated to a free will donation and raffle to support Crusade Against Impaired Driving at the vigil.  Without your support, this organization would not be able to continue.  We'd also like to thank our many sponsors for their financial support and donations.  A special thank you to all who helped make the night memorable.

Gold Level:  Franciscan Mystery Players

                     O'Brien, Boyd PC Attorneys

Silver Level:  STOP DWI of Erie County                                 

Bronze Level:  Upstate Steel