HERO Campaign Honored at MBCA Gala

Atlantic City, NJ - The John R. Elliott HERO Campaign for Designated Drivers® was honored by the Metropolitan Business & Citizens Association (MBCA) at their 2009 Awards Gala Dinner on Tuesday March 10 at the Trump Taj Mahal. The HERO Campaign, founded by the Elliott family, received the MBCA Community Service Award because of its commitment to prevent drunken driving tragedies.
The Annual Installation and Awards Gala is the MBCA’s major business and social event of the year. Proceeds from the event benefit MBCA programs and services, as well as charitable endeavors in the region. Atlantic City Mayor Lorenzo Langford installed the 2009 MBCA Board Members. They represent diverse Business/Residential and Casino Venues in the Atlantic City Region.

In front of more than 700 attendees, Master of Ceremonies Lloyd Levenson Esq. and MBCA President, John Schultz presented the Elliott family with a $5,000 check for the John R. Elliott Foundation Scholarship Fund. "Our family is grateful to have been selected for this honor in our son's memory by the MBCA," said Bill Elliott, chairman and founder of the Campaign.

A new video tribute to the Elliotts and the HERO Campaign, featuring footage of John, was shown at the dinner, narrated by the Phillies Public Relations Director Scott Palmer.
Soon after their son was killed by a drunken driver in July 2000, the Elliotts created the HERO Campaign for Designated Drivers® and the John R. Elliott Foundation to honor his memory. John had recently graduated with merit from the United States Naval Academy, where he was named the Outstanding HERO of his graduating class. He was preparing to enter Naval Flight Officer School in the fall.
Since 2000, New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia and New York have become HERO States. The Campaign is also active on a number of college campuses, along with the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Giants. National legislation, modeled after New Jersey’s John’s Law, passed in 2005, provides federal highway safety grant incentives for states adopting John’s Law, which requires police to impound the cars of those arrested for drunk driving.

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