WRAP Reporter
1999 Annual Report

A Message From the Chairman

Seventeen years ago WRAP was created because a few concerned citizens, business leaders and local government officials believed that the tragic consequences of drunk driving in our community could no longer be tolerated. Now, on the eve of the year 2000, I am proud to report that WRAP is an established, nationally recognized organization that enjoys broad community support. But most importantly, WRAP is an organization that has made a difference by helping to make the metropolitan Washington area a safer place. Alcohol-related traffic fatalities have decreased for the fifth year in a row. Our rate of alcohol-related fatalities continues to be well below national figures. This success has come because all segments of our community, from business leaders to government officials to area citizens, have gotten involved to fight impaired driving and underage drinking.

We enjoyed another year of solid accomplishment for WRAP in 1999. Our WRAP SoberRide^TM program continues to expand and provide potentially impaired drivers a safe ride home. We recognized outstanding student efforts to combat underage drinking and drunk driving with a terrific 1998 GEICO Student Awards ceremony at the MCI Center's National Sports Gallery. WRAP's important business outreach program "Safe and Vital Employees" (SAVE) continues to provide area employers and their employees with vital information and training on traffic safety and crash prevention. Our WRAP Board of Directors also took a long-range look at our future this year by completing a successful strategic planning process. And, on a fiscal note, I am pleased to report that the end of fiscal year 1999 finds the Washington Regional Alcohol Program with a balanced budget - our sixth straight year in the black.

While we celebrate our community's "bottom-line" success in the reduction of alcohol-related deaths and injuries, and WRAP's contribution to that success, we must not forget that 93 of our area citizens were needlessly killed and hundreds more injured last year in alcohol-related crashes. This loss to our families, friends and community is unnecessary and intolerable. This is why we formed WRAP, and this is why we continue.

It has also been a year of change in our WRAP staff and Board. As I complete my term as Chairman, I wish to personally thank our wonderful staff, Tim Kime, Rhonda Dinello and Robin Black, for their extraordinary dedication and contributions to WRAP. I also welcome to our WRAP family our new Executive Director, Kurt Erickson and Program Coordinator, Beth Fusakio. WRAP is in good and very talented hands. I also thank, yet again, my fellow board members for their exceedingly generous commitment of time and resources to WRAP and our vital mission. Together, we look forward to another successful and safer year.

John V. Moulden

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