Drive Safe Kalamazoo is a student run organization at Western Michigan University that provides safe, free and non-judgmental rides home for members of the WMU and Kalamazoo community Thursdays-Saturdays (11 p.m.-3 a.m.)  When the organization found itself in jeopardy of not having funding for the opening weekend of the 2010-11 school year, the Bronco football team, among others stepped up.

Unfortunately due to a clerical error within the DSK organization, funding for the weekend of Sept. 9-11 was overlooked and not accounted for when the annual budget was put together.  This left DSK short for the cost of vehicles rented through Enterprise Rent-A-Car, one of which costs $200.  The chairperson for DSK, Jeremy K. Wu asked for help throughout the Western Michigan community and after hearing back from the Office of Student Activities and Leadership and the Western Student Association, it was time for athletics to step up.

When the news of DSK's needs reached the Bronco football team, it didn't take long for them to come up with an idea.  Junior offensive lineman Jonathan Jack offered the idea of everyone donating $1 from that day's per diem (money received during camp in order to eat when the cafeteria is not open) in order to help close the gap.  There are 102 student-athletes on the Western Michigan team.  The $1 donation from each team member took care of over half of what was needed to cover the expenses for one of the seven rentals during the Sept. 9-11 weekend.

"Anytime we can do something that will directly help fellow Western Michigan students in a positive way, we are going to do it.  It's that simple," commented Jack earlier this week.  "Coach Cubit emphasizes the importance of community service within this program and this is just an extension of that.  I don't care if it would have been $20 from each player, we would have done it."

The team received their per diem and each returned $1 to director of football operations Tim Knox to be donated to DSK's operating budget for the Sept. 9-11 weekend.  It is important for Western Michigan students to come to Waldo Stadium and cheer on the Broncos but it is more important for everyone to get home after the game, or after the night of the game, safely.

"Drive Safe Kalamazoo is excited to have the assistance of the WMU football team. The teams sponsorship will go towards the rental of  a vehicle, from enterprise Rent-a-Car, for the weekend of Sept. 9-11. This vehicle, along will others, will be used to provide Free, Safe, Non-judgmental rides HOME to WMU students between the hours of 11 p.m.-3a.m.," commented Jeremy Wu, Chairperson for DSK.

One dollar was never so well spent.

Drive Safe Kalamazoo started as a class project in the Spring of 2002. The initial idea had been to use taxi cab services and reimburse them for their time. Through research, we found a designated driver organization at Texas A&M University called CARPOOL. With the help of CARPOOL, Professor Paul Yelsma, and the former Director of Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention for Western Michigan University, the hypothetical organization that five students developed as a class project has turned into Western Michigan University's very own safe-ride program. We are now the only strictly student run organization in the State of Michigan, and one of only twelve in the nation.

For more information about DSK, visit http://www.drivesafekalamazoo.com or call 269-345-0DSK (0375).