By David Daggett on 5/26/2008 5:08 AM

Welcome to Summer

     Memorial Day weekend is the traditional send off for summer fun. Our Lewis & Daggett family kicked it off with a firm cookout on Friday. Part of the fun was that the attorneys and management served the rest of the staff as a reward and treat.

Jennifer Glosson and Nayeli Ramirez at L & D Cookout

      As summer begins, it is probably a good time to consider some basics safety tips in order to make summer the best it can be for you and your family. As schools winds down and many of us have family activities begin, we encourage you to keep safety in mind.

     Travel safety is a good place to start - we don’t want vacations ruined by a ca r accident. Make sure your vehicle is in good condition, tires properly inflated, and all maintenance up to date. Take frequent rest breaks when driving, and follow all safety laws and directions. Pay particular attention around construction and work zones.

     Lawn mower injuries can be very serious, and many of those injured are young children. Every year some of the most serious injuries are to young children who were riding as passengers on riding mowers. Please do not allow young children to ride these powerful machines. Use extreme caution to always your keep fingers and toes away from moving blades. Lastly, always pick up toys, objects and debris before mowing to avoid injuries to yourself or others from flying objects.

     When riding bicycles, skateboards, roller blades, and scooters always wear helmets and proper protective gear. Children should stay away from traffic and preferably ride on sidewalks or designated paths. Most of all, set a good example for children by always wearing a helmet yourself.

     Sun and heat safety are many times overlooked. Remember to use sunscreen and cover skin as much as possible. Covering up and limiting exposure is particularly important for very young children. Remember when swimming to reapply sun screen and take frequent breaks from the heat. Make sure to drink plenty of fluids and take breaks often in hot weather and during physical activities.

     Let’s get this summer off to a safe, fun start for all of us.

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By David Daggett on 5/19/2008 6:34 AM

Job Well Done

     Whew! It has been a fast and furious past eight weeks for Safe Sober Prom Night! There are many stories of teamwork, enthusiasm, participation, passion, and success!

     The students’ participation and enthusiasm make us optimistic about the future of our community. Our students are bright, talented, motivated, and really trying to do the right things for a successful future. They are well on their way!

     Teams of Lewis & Daggett attorneys and staff personally visited approximately 35 area high schools encouraging students to sign a pledge not to drink or use drugs on prom night, distributing student designed t-shirts, and speaking to the students. "Positive messages to our youth ensure the quality of our community for years to come," says Mike Lewis.

     This year the firm has personally paid for, delivered, and distributed more than 14,000 t-shirts to high school students in the Triad area, and made them available to all high schools throughout North and South Carolina.

     We have also had some technological breakthroughs with the website at www.safeandsober.com, including virtual pledge cards, video contests, and many resources for teens. Next year portends to be even bigger and better!

     Of course there are also the difficult parts. We encounter those who have lost loved ones, or are injured or disabled, in car accidents due to drunk drivers. Meeting those suffering folks and hearing their stories really hits home for us since it was our professional contact with people hurting in these ways that inspired us to start the SSPN program 18 years ago.

     Most of all, SSPN is a story of success. Success for our teens, our community, and our L & D team. We are already brainstorming for Safe Sober Prom Night 2009! We look forward to having you join us!

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By David Daggett on 5/12/2008 6:49 AM

Civil Justice

     What does "civil justice" mean? To us at Lewis & Daggett it means that the folks we work for have a remedy when they are wrongfully injured, disabled or hurt at work. Civil Justice hasn’t always been a remedy, and many times for us it is still a constant fight.

Mike and Dave in Washington, D.C.

     It American society, our legal system provides the rules and the structure so that we can operate in an orderly and safe fashion, and defines a framework for transacting business.

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By David Daggett on 5/5/2008 7:01 AM

Law Day, Plus a Graduation

     Fifty years ago President Eisenhower established May 1 of every year as "Law Day." Law Day is a national day of recognition of the principal of government under law, as opposed to rule by individuals.

     Government under law is essential for a free society. We will discuss further next week how the law is the founding principle of our country.

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By David Daggett on 4/28/2008 7:03 AM

Half Way

     Doesn't it always seem to feel really good to be half way done? Well, this past week at Lewis & Daggett we passed the half way mark with our 2008 Safe Sober Prom Night program.

     So far, so good. We have had no reports of prom night car accidents of other tragedies.

     Part of the fun of SSPN is our interaction with the students. So far this year we have reached approximately 10,128 juniors and seniors in the triad area, an increase over past years. All these students have had the opportunity to sign the Safe Sober Prom Night "Do It Right!" pledge and to receive a free t-shirt. Some of the students have mentioned that they have been waiting since they were freshmen and sophomores and are excited that "now it's my turn!" These students inspire us.

     We are also inspired by the attorneys and staff on our team here at Lewis & Daggett. Out teams lead the program at all of the area high schools. They do this out of care, concern, and as a way to make a positive contribution to our community. We certainly thank our many helping hands that make this program so successful. At the same time, we also thank our in office team members as we all cover for each other during this eight-week period of time when we are all doing double duty.

     Although it has been fun to pass the half way point in the Safe Sober program, it is interesting that in life we never really know where half way is. We always need to be looking up and forward, trying to improve and do better, not just coasting. In fact, this is a lesson that students teach us at every school we visit.

     A hallmark of the SSPN program is positive peer pressure. Positive friendships and activities with peers help us establish values, and then these influences are a rock of stability as we continue through life.

     Peers also push us and help us to be better. Students do this in a very positive forward looking fashion. They help to lift each other's spirits and keep each other accountable. Peers provide a core group of support. Selecting and encouraging positive peers and providing them support, too, actually goes a long way toward building our own successes.

     Half way is certainly exciting! However, half way also means that we need to keep looking forward, improving, and doing better. As life progresses and we all look back at our successes, we will see a long list of positive peers that have helped to make us better and have made us what we are.

     Personally, I am not sure if I have made it "half way" yet, but I know there are many peers that have helped me every step of the way. Thank you to all who've helped us get to the half way point, and thank you for the army of peers and peer groups out there that encourage all of us, and particularly our students, in a positive fashion.

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By David Daggett on 4/21/2008 6:53 AM

Success and The 25% Club

     Do you know someone who is successful? We sure do! We were lucky to have Coach Bob Anastas in town this past week as part of our Safe Sober Prom Night program.

     Coach Anastas is the national founder of Students Against Drunk Driving, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. He was an All-American in both hockey and football, and was drafted as a quarterback and punter by the Patriots. He has taught high school and college, and has coached hockey and football. Bob has written three books on student-parent communication, and has had a made-for-TV movie made about his life and his work with students. Bob is certainly one of our hereos.

     In speaking to students, Coach Anastas explains how only approximately 25% of all people use their God-given talents, their minds and their bodies, to be successful in life. These 25% are successful academically, athletically, professionally, and personally. Bob passionately explains how students have to be part of "The 25% Club" to be successful in life, and then describes the steps to get there.

     Bob's four keys to success are:

     1. Run when others walk. This means that you need to keep your body in tip-top shape. Look and present yourself well. These simple things elevate you above the pack. Your first impression is the most important impression you make.

     2. Sleep when others party. You'll be a success because you're going to wake up in the morning well rested and ready to go. You need to give yourself the best chance possible to develop the gifts God gave you.

     3. Take your weakness and make it your strength. You need to make yourself better and always look to improve. Practice when others rest. That's how you improve and become the best you can be. 75% of all people are complacent. They won't do the extra work needed to move into the 25% Club. So, this means work ethic, practice, diligence, and perseverance.

     4. Keep your body under control at all times. Bob particularly emphasizes not to abuse your body with drugs and alcohol. You want to present yourself as a "clean package" and a good person.

     Coach Anastas emphasizes that doing these things is not a matter of chance, but a matter of choice. Choose to be in the 25% club and life will be very good to you. However, if you don't make this choice you may never be what you could have been. Period.

     "If we dream it, it can be done." - Coach Bob Anastas

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By David Daggett on 4/14/2008 6:45 AM

Make It Personal

     What does making something personal mean to you? It seems that when we make something personal and take ownership, the opportunity or to make a difference increases.

 

Our L & D Safe Sober Team

     We see this with our Safe Sober Prom Night program. The long term success of this program is mostly due to our Lewis and Daggett team making it personal to help out our students. making it personal is what gives it deeper and lasting meaning.

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By David Daggett on 4/7/2008 6:56 AM

Transforming Impact

     Have you considered whether you ever have a transforming impact on the lives of others? Perhaps one of the highest callings we can have is to have a transforming impact on another.

Students Signing the "Do it Right!" Pledge

     Having a heart for others seems to be a prerequisite to having a transforming impact. This is where we are so proud of our L & D team. They are able to step out of their daily jobs in order to make a difference. They have a heart for students - I’ve seen it!

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By David Daggett on 3/31/2008 6:48 AM

18 Years!

     It’s finally here! This week the 2008 prom season begins. Our Lewis & Daggett team is excited for the 18^th year of our Safe Sober Prom Night Program.

   

     Mike Lewis and I founded SSPN in 1991. In what we do professionally we all too often see the destruction and tragedy done to children, families and individuals by drinking and driving. We believed that we were in a unique position in our community to address this issue, and so Safe Sober Prom Night was born. We really never dreamed it would be so successful for all these years.

     We have used a two prong attack First, we believe that young people need continual reminders of the dangers of drinking and driving. Second, is to help create an environment of positive peer pressure to help encourage our students in the right direction.

     The SSPN program has become part of the values and culture at our firm. In fact, when we start going to the high schools starting this week our entire L & D will be involved reflecting reflecting their high personal levels of commitment . We will personally visit more than 30 high schools and give away more than 10,000 t-shirts in the triad area.

     Over the years, SSPN has won a number of significant awards in additional to local recognition. The program has been awarded the Governor’s Highway Safety Program Public safety award, as well as the American Bar Association Award for Dignity in Lawyer Advertising.

     Of course, the most significant award is from the students who now think Safe Sober is "cool" and proudly participate year to year. This year a "cool" addition is virtual pledge that students can take on-line, and of course there are lots of other goodies there too.

     Please join our students and our L & D Team in make this year the safest prom season ever!

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By David Daggett on 3/24/2008 6:50 AM

Lights, Camera, Action!

     Are you ready? Prom season is now just right around the corner. Lights, Camera, Action - it will be here. We are all excited and ready for this special time.

SSPN Commercial Shoot - Glenn High School

     This past week we really experienced "Lights, Camera, Action" with a group of students at Glenn High School. Glenn had the highest percentage of students take the Safe Sober Prom Night "Do It Right!" pledge out of all the all local high schools. In doing so they won the opportunity to participate in this year’s TV promotional advertisement.

     The Glenn students have great leadership with Principal Coplin, and faculty leaders Ms. Wilson and Ms. P-H (as the students call her). They helped coordinate the students for this extra-curricular activity, which really turned out to be a great experience.

     With the help of WXII TV we were able to turn the auditorium at the high school into a temporary studio in order to shoot the spot. In the process, Mike Lewis and I were able to give the students a bit of a lesson in actual production, as well as having a good bit of fun with them.

     Our Lewis & Daggett team is always impressed with our local students. These students at Glenn were top notch in all respects. We enjoyed the afternoon we spent with them, had a lot of fun, and are excited about their futures.

     This year’s SSPN ad should hit the airways in the next week or so. It will also be posted at www.safeandsober.com. Also at the website students will be able to take the virtual pledge, contact friends, get prom tips, and keep up with all of the SSPN activities.

     Please join us in encouraging our students - they are off to a great start!

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