TERRE HUATE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — Mothers Against Drunk Drivers work to raise awareness on a 100 percent preventable cause of death. For many families the act of driving under the influence has broken their lives into pieces.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving is an organization that works to support victims families and those who have lost their loved ones.

For one family, July 25 marks one year since they lost their son to a drunk driver, they say he loved helping others.

“For us number one we want to keep his memory alive,” Dawn Vasquez, MADD volunteer. “Number two we want to make this a place, a world with no more victims. We want to bring awareness and make people understand it won’t happen to me, can happen to you.”

Pam Kelshaw who also works with the organization says this event is not only about support victims families.

“Nineteen years ago I lost my daughter to an impaired driver and then eight years ago I lost my nephew to a driver under the influence of drugs,” Pam Kelshaw, victims service specialist with MADD. “So it’s really been a very big impact on my family.”

Participants also donated blood for victims of crashes as well as watched K-9 deonstrations.

“Hoping that the community will take this as an educational event,” Kelshaw said. “Educate them on how impaired driving takes the lives of thousands of people every year. Every two minutes somebody is injured in an impaired driving crash.”

Many with the organization say they hope the event served as a day of learning.

“We’re not the only ones who have lost love ones to this, that are here today, Dawn Vasquez said. “There are many victims out there that just don’t know where to reach out,” said David Vasquez.

The MADD organization also presented two plaques in honor to detective Greg Ferency to his children that the mayor accepted on behalf of the family.