Grant Gives Soldiers Safe Ride Home

Fort Carson soldiers will have access to a safe ride home on New Years? weekend thanks to a grant from the National Homeland Defense Foundation in Colorado Springs.

The foundation donated $2500 to Designated Driver of Colorado Springs, a non-profit organization that helps keep drunk drivers off the roads.

?I?m not sure I have the words to tell you how excited I was. This grant means so much to us,? said Nonie Rispin, founder of Designated Driver.

Rispin?s program was suspended in November because of financial setbacks. Designated Driver is primarily funded by nightclubs, bars and restaurants, but was no longer receiving donations.

The grant will allow the program to give inebriated soldiers a ride home on Dec. 30 and 31.

Soldiers will be required to show military ID to get a ride.

The grant was made available through Fort Carson?s Family Readiness Center Fund, a program that supports families of deployed soldiers.

?This was a logical use of our funds. They take care of us and we want to be sure we?re doing everything we can to offer the best care in our community,? said Don Addy, president of the Homeland Defense Foundation.

Addy said he has reached out to community leaders about getting permanent funding for Designated Drivers so that everyone can benefit.

Rispin said she hopes to be up and running for everyone in the community by early 2012.