Boys & Girls Club Of Elk River And Ups Foundation Drive Change With Ups Road Code Program

Aug. 30, 2012 - PRLog -- BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF ELK RIVER and
UPS FOUNDATION DRIVE CHANGE WITH UPS ROAD CODE PROGRAM

Safe Driving Program Aims to Reduce the Leading Cause of Death for U.S. Teens


Elk River, MN, August 30, 2012– Boys & Girls Club of Elk River has been selected to serve as one of 24 Boys & Girls Club organizations chosen this year to implement UPS Road Code, a national program to teach safe driving techniques to teens. The UPS Foundation, the charitable arm of UPS, is providing $26,000 if you have one funded Club, over three years to the Club to implement the program.
UPS Road Code is largely based on the same safety training used by UPS’s own drivers, who are known for their safe driving techniques. In fact, UPS's 102,000 drivers worldwide log more than three billion miles per year with less than one accident per million miles driven. Taught by UPS employees trained as volunteer instructors, the program provides teens with four sessions of classroom-based instruction, as well as time “behind the wheel” of a virtual driving simulator.
   “Statistics show that driving-related incidents are the leading cause of death in adolescents,” said Russ Branjord, Director of the Elk River Unit “We are very grateful to UPS for providing this important safe driving program for our teenagers. It is a program they all need, and their parents will want them to use.”
UPS Road Code focuses on different safety principles each week, from basic instruction to the consequences of risky behaviors such as talking on cell phones, texting or drinking while driving. Throughout the program, teens have a chance to practice what they’ve learned on the driving simulators, which feature a computer screen that serves as a windshield to the program’s interactive animation, a steering wheel and life-like gas and brake pedals.

“The UPS Road Code program is more than just a safe-driving program; it’s about empowering teens to be ambassadors for safety and encouraging them to act as catalysts for driving change,” states Myron Gray, president, U.S. Operations. “UPS Road Code provides the information and the resources to help teens make our roads safer, starting with themselves and spreading to family, friends and beyond.”
As UPS Road Code rolls out in Elk River, teens will have the opportunity to make a difference and drive change for themselves and their peers. Using social media channels, teens can share online tools and resources developed to support the safe driving program. From tips and important safety information to interactive online activities and a safe driving petition, teens will be fully armed to spread awareness about the dangers of distracted driving.
Teens, parents and others interested in learning more about safe driving and the UPS Road Code program should visit www.bgca.org/roadcode. For regular updates about the program and the national and local events, as well as helpful tips, follow UPS Road Code at www.facebook.com/roadcode. To participate in the UPS Road Code program, contact Russ at 763-241-5000x12 or email at boysandgirlsclub.elkriver@gmail.com. Our address is 905 6th St NW Elk River, MN 55330

Our Mission at the Boys & Girls Club of Elk River:
To enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.

Boys & Girls Club of Elk River provides program opportunities for 1,233 boys and girls each year. The Club is open Monday – Friday after school 2:30-600pm. Youngsters interested in joining the Club and learning more about UPS Road Code or other youth programs can contact Russ at 763-241-5000x12 or email at boysandgirlsclub.elkriver@gmail.com.

About The UPS Foundation
The UPS Foundation, which is responsible for facilitating community involvement to local, national and global communities, has led UPS's corporate citizenship efforts for more than 60 years. In 2011, UPS and its employees, active and retired, invested more than $93.3 million in charitable giving around the world. The UPS Foundation can be found on the web at UPS.com/foundation.