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Paul Nesbitt is rallying dads to get kids home safe.
By Kathy Michaels
About six months ago, a commercial from Mothers Against Drunk Driving flashed across Paul Nesbitt’s TV screen and the Kelowna resident had an epiphany.
“The ad said, ‘you should have a plan when you go home’, and it was sponsored by MADD,” he recalled. “So I said to my wife ‘where are the dads in all this? ‘ Dads feel the same way as moms, we have sleepless nights worrying about our kids too.”
While some would have left the conundrum at that, Nesbitt decided to jump into action.
“I said to my wife, ‘let’s go to the bars and get those kids home’ and she said ‘awesome.’”
From there he got himself a taxi license from the city, formed the company Canadian Designated Driver Dads Inc. and rallied some friends to hit up the bars at night and find those wayward young people who may choose to get behind the wheel of a car after a night on the town.
Going from car to car at night, they slip a dollar sized form under the windshield wiper that says, “Why drive home drunk, when we can drive you and your ride home safely?”
His number is on the slip, and when he gets a call he and a friend drive the caller’s car home, with the young person riding in the back seat. Following behind them is a third, who can pick up the duo up so they can get out for another round of designated driving.
“It’s been so much fun, and they’ve been great kids,” he said, adding they aren’t there to cast judgment, just get the kids home. “We all had our moments didn’t we? And when we were young there were no options.”
While payment for the service is by donation, the project is far from being lucrative. In the first five months, Nesbitt took in about $23 — and he says that’s just fine.
“It’s not supposed to be a money making machine,” he said. “I have it on my mission statement that the guys who take part can take the money to pay for their gas and give the rest to MADD — they have never asked me for any money, either.”
So far there’s about 23 men who don the Designated Driver Dad shirts, and they work on a strictly volunteer basis. There’s no pressure for them to show up and perform, he said, adding there are about three who consistently dedicate their weekends to the project.
He’s also making sure that the dads he rounds up are reputable enough to get behind the wheel of a young person’s car, though he noted that it’s been pretty easy so far as he’s drawn from his pool of friends mostly.
“I’m asking for a driver’s abstract and a criminal record check,” he said. “I am going to get the best quality of man I can so the kids feel safe.”
And so far, it’s working.
“You should hear what those kids say to me,” he said. “They say ‘thanks man, this is the greatest thing, I can’t even believe you guys are out here’.”
His two children, age 27 and 25, are also pretty impressed with the fact that their dad is staying up in the wee hours of the night to help their peers get home safely, but it’s not the accolades that keep him on weekend dad duty. It’s knowing that he’s taking some action and helping put an end to drunk driving.
“There is a need in every community for this,” he said. “And maybe if I help someone else’s kids, maybe someone will help mine if they ever need it.”
Right now Nesbitt is in Edmonton trying to suss out if he can make a go of the service there and hopefully one day it will spread across the country. He also thinks lining up some corporate sponsorships may be handy.
“I haven’t got all the bugs worked out yet, but it’s getting there,” he said.
To find out more or contact Nesbitt to take part, go to designateddriverdads.com.
kathy@kelowna.com
250-575-0761
Tags: drunk driving, Kelowna, MADD, Paul Nesbitt
