Preventing Impaired Driving & Saving Lives with Chanda Park

This week on the Team Lally Real Estate Radio Show, we interview Chanda Park of SafeRide Hawaii. Chanda shares the powerful story behind the creation of SafeRide Hawaii following the tragic loss of her daughter, Azalia. She explains how SafeRide Hawaii prevents impaired driving by providing safe rides for intoxicated drivers and their vehicles and invites audience to support the mission through volunteering and participating in their upcoming annual sign-waving event—highlighting the power of community-driven safety.

In Experts We Trust, Benjy Gilholm of Hawaii Referral Agent and Danny Langerman of DHA Financial share timely insights for real estate professionals and consumers alike. Benjy explains how Hawaii Referral Agent supports licensed agents through a low-overhead, referral-based model, while Danny breaks down Hawaii’s increased conforming loan limits, the difference between conforming and jumbo loans, and why locking in the right financing can create long-term advantages.

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Interview Transcription

ADRIENNE: 
Welcome back, and thanks for listening to the team Lally real estate show, home of the guaranteed sold program, we’ll buy it. I’m Adrienne and I’m Attilio and if you have any questions, just give us a call at 7999596, or check this out online at Team lally.com

ATTILIO: 
Hey everybody. Just a quick friendly reminder. You can listen to us every Saturday on AM830 KHVH to the team Lally real estate show, home of the guaranteed soul program, or check us out on iTunes. We have a podcast, and it uploads every week, so if you missed it there, you can also go to the I heart app, and you can live watch this live streaming there. There’s just an on all our social media platforms. So if you’re like, Man, I need more of a team. Lally real estate radio show, those are all the different ways that you can get it. Our guest today is Executive Director and co founder of Safe Ride Hawaii, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing impaired driving tragedies by helping people and their vehicles get home safely.

ADRIENNE: 
In addition to her leadership at Safe Ride Hawaii, she’s also a Senior Marketing Director with World Financial Group and a financial professional at the world system builder. Please welcome back. Our guest. Chanda Park, hi, Chanda, aloha. Chanda, welcome back. Can you hear us? Yes, I can hear you. Can you hear me?

ATTILIO: 
Yep, we can hear you. Awesome.

ADRIENNE: 
We typically have you on this time of year, just you know, to talk a little bit more about Safe Ride and educate the listeners about this important nonprofit. And just like this, we need to just bring awareness to this in our community. So just if you could give a little backstory on what is safe ride and why is your family so passionate in supporting this?

CHANDA: 
Yes, so we created Safe Ride Hawaii in honor of my daughter, Azalia, and Azalia was killed by a drunk driver, and this just days Christmas in 2020 and we wanted to do something where we could really make a difference and make a positive change in our community. So what Safe Ride Hawaii does is we will take intoxicated drivers and their cars home safely to eliminate any excuse that someone may have

ADRIENNE: 
now, I mean, during this time of year, there’s a lot of holiday parties people may like. Well, I think the make bad choices, and so you guys are here to help, you know, support, I think so they’re not behind the wheel.

ATTILIO: 
The big thing that you guys are addressing is the because, like, Uber and Lyft all been around everybody. Everybody on this planet probably has the app, so it’s not like they couldn’t call an Uber or Lyft, but I think the big challenge you’re addressing is that, oh, I don’t like leave my vehicle over here, and so you guys are helping them by getting somebody to take the car home too.

CHANDA: 
Yeah, exactly. And we encourage Uber and Lyft and public transportation, taxi service, use the rail, anything, get a designated driver. Plan ahead. That’s what we really encourage. Just plan ahead. And we just want to be that last resort. Okay?

ADRIENNE: 
Now, Chanda, I know that you’ve got a lot of you know, community support and volunteers. How could any of our listeners come and be able to support that? You know, the volunteer effort.

CHANDA: 
We are always looking for volunteers. We have about 100 volunteers on our roster right now. Oh, wow. However, we are always looking for volunteers. Anyone who is interested in helping can go to our website, safer white org, and there is a volunteer form that they can click on, yes, yeah.

ATTILIO: 
And when we all, you know, my favorite quote is from Mother Teresa, when we all clean our front doorsteps, we’ll have a better world. So this is the figurative version of people cleaning their front doorstep is volunteering and giving back in our community. Because I think if we can prevent, prevent one death, either of the driver or the victim, that is something that is awesome in our community.

ADRIENNE: 
I agree. Yeah, you guys, you bring awareness to, you know, being safe, yeah, in the holidays and being safe, you know, behind the wheel, you have an event coming up, a sign waving, yes, let’s give the details on that. And what is, what does that look like?

CHANDA: 
So every year we do a sign waving. My daughter was hit on December 18, and she was pronounced brain dead on December 21 and we did a sign waving the day after Christmas on December 26 we were out there to let people know what. Happened to my daughter and yeah, don’t let this happen to yours. Let’s all do our part. That’s why we were out there sign waving, so that people will remember Azalia. And we have been doing it every single year since this December. This month will make five years since azalea was killed. We will be at the intersection of Kahua Paani and ala Lally Street, and we will be there at 4pm to I wave and raise awareness and just build community around this call.

ATTILIO: 
Kind of want to give a little bit local kind directions, because, you know, as local people, we don’t, we couldn’t, we couldn’t find one cross street to save our lives. We don’t know north, we don’t know south. But write those streets down because it’s gonna say and you can’t miss it. Adrienne, I have gone out there to sine wave. Must be like, I don’t know,

ADRIENNE: 
6070, people out there. Street is filled with people

ATTILIO: 
all their HPD sends down a contingent. And there must have been, like, I don’t know it’s 20 officers there. That’s awesome. Good job. HPD, but yeah, stadium mall where, I think it’s like, right by that intersection that you turn into to get the Christmas trees from habilitat Street, and then Crosspoint is the is that condominium complex that’s right next to the stadium. So as you’re coming off the freeway, it’s that intersection or that first light before you get to the main intersection, and you can’t miss it. In fact, everybody can turn at that light that you see, go left or in a Diamond Head direction, get plenty street parking where you can park or park inside the mall. I mean, the City Mall, we’ll buy something from them, and they come.

ADRIENNE: 
If someone wants to come out and do the sign waving, do they need to bring their own signs? Said, you guys got signs? I have enough signs.

ATTILIO:
Like any signs, they

CHANDA:
can bring their own signs. If they want, some people made their own, they bring it. Year after year, we have a lot of signs available. And if people are just making their own signs, that the day of Ken and his team from keep it flowing will be there, and they will provide all of the supplies where people can nice.

ATTILIO: 
Can we have a little, little, some arts and craft project that’s supporting a great cause? I think, I

CHANDA:
think they can’t participate because they don’t have a sign. Come on in. Yes, yeah, I’ve been there.

ATTILIO: 
Personally. You get plenty signs. We need more alcohol. Is over there holding up all the signs because that sign is not sending communicating a message sitting in a pile. But, I mean, it’s amazing how much signs that you have. Everybody’s honking, paying attention, acknowledging the situation, and you guys to me, I just want to say a big, a big mahalo to you, because you guys taking a tragedy and you’re turning it into something that’s positively affecting our community. Amazing. So thank you for that.

ADRIENNE: 
Chanda, in the beginning, in the beginning of the show, we were talking a little bit about, you know, psi, yeah, psi, basic. And actually, Chanda and I were in the small group together, and I took that basic with her and and Azalia. So, you know, I know that the psi community is really strong supporter of this board.

CHANDA: 
Yeah, of this, yeah, yeah,

ATTILIO: 
and yeah. So again, give us that date. Give us that date and time.

CHANDA: 
So it’s gonna be Saturday, December 20, and 4pm

ATTILIO: 
4pm and you just, kind of, you guys, just kind of keep going till it peters out, or whatever. People, because people, I notice people calm. They go

CHANDA: 
finger on until the sun goes down.

ATTILIO: 
Yeah, yeah. And then if you’re driving by, please show your support by waving and honking. Anything else that people can do to support in that particular event or day or Safe Ride in general,

CHANDA:
even if you’re unable to make it, I know Adrienne said that you’re unable to make it this year, you and to now, I just want to thank you for your support over over the year. Thank you for coming out of sine wavy. So even though you’re unable to make it this year, please share like how you’re sharing.

ATTILIO: 
Yeah, yeah. I think, Oh, that was what I would tell people if you’re there or driving by, I know like the news crews come down and they always highlight what’s going on, because that’s a real positive event for that day. And they’re always down there on that but you know what, everybody out there with your with your smartphone and your social media platform is a news person. So if you could, if you’re out there, you know, shoot some video, do some postings for the event, tag Safe Ride Hawaii and and post it all over your social media. You know, it’s, it’s, it’s, we want to have more positive things out there. Sometimes, you know you’re going to have, there’s too much. Zoom, scrolling, and we want some positive things out there on social media, and this would be a great way for you guys to get the word out and help our community.

ADRIENNE: 
Yep, and then I guess let’s, let’s talk a little bit more about Safe Ride and the logistics. How does now? How does that work? I noticed there’s like an app. What do people need to do to utilize the Safe Ride services?

CHANDA: 
Yes. So we do have an app. The app is called Safe Ride now, and they can order their ride through the app. They would register, just like they do Uber and Lyft. So the payment is called App. The charge is $2 per minute. So for instance, you know it we’re on an island, everything’s very close, people go out. So for instance, if you’re 20 minutes away, it costs you $40 to get you and your car home.

ATTILIO: 
Yeah, I would tell you this, if you got pulled over or, heaven forbid, hurt or killed somebody, if it was $400 it would be worth it. So for you people out there. And, you know, I was a motorcycle safety instructor at Leeward Community College for the National NSF, National Safety Foundation for motorcycle and I taught a module on alcohol awareness. And I will tell you that a lot of the challenging, challenge of this situation is the person that thinks they’re okay is not really okay. So I’m going to call out to all the friends and family and relatives. Most likely, there’s a high probability you are the one that is going to grab their keys and say, No worry, we’ll get you home. And you know what? If you truly love them and love our community, get on the app, call it for them and and make them do it. Because the exercise always did in the class is like, if you knew for certain that your your your friend was going to leave under the influence and get behind a vehicle or motorcycle, what would you do? And we went through a role play, and it was like people were like, handcuff them to the steering wheel, throw the keys in the beat in the ocean. Like the bottom line is, as you go through that exercise, whatever it takes to not put them in that situation. And Safe Ride in Safe Ride. And the apt, in my opinion, is a easy that’s an easy one. That’s the easy one, you know. And what else?

ADRIENNE: 
Adrienne, I would just say that too. Like, just with Hawaii having one of the highest rates, I know that Azalia was on foot, right? Yeah, pedestrian, you know, like, you guys have it, yeah? Do you guys have any, like, tips or resources for, you know, like, pedestrians out there? I mean, like, I think Hawaii, somebody has one of the highest rates for some reason, like, we have one of the highest rates of pedestrians, oh, fatalities.

ATTILIO: 
I had a question, because I still have it today, yes, somebody had these little things that go on your wrist, and it just snaps around your wrist, and it’s like reflective

CHANDA: 
so that was provided from the Hawaii Department of Transportation and be there again, and they will be bringing those items.

ATTILIO: 
Those are super cool. Yeah,

CHANDA: 
the wristbands,

ADRIENNE: 
it will protect you as a pedestrian.

ATTILIO: 
And you know what? It’s cool when you put it on your wrist, because it’s straight, and then it it wraps around your wrist and and then you can whack your kids if they’re not paying attention at the cross. No, no, no. Whack your kids with that. Put the thing on their wrist. Visibility, visibility, visibility for pedestrians. Is my is our number one tip for today, always increase your visibility and look not only twice, but look again and look again. Okay, what else is? What else about this event? Or Chandra, what else did you want to share with us? Or any kind of needs?

ADRIENNE: 
Did we miss anything? Do we miss anything? Discussion,

CHANDA: 
getting back to the volunteer opportunities. I just want to let people know if you don’t have a driver’s license and you’re not able to volunteer as a driver. We do have other volunteer opportunities, such as just coming out to the events and and working at the Safe Ride table with us, sharing our mission to people so they can, you know, come and hang out with us at events, when when we’re doing concerts, or any type of awareness or yes,

ATTILIO: 
yeah, I say that’s a great idea because I know with my kids, they were in Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and a lot of those are youth organizations. I don’t say they require, but it’s highly recommended that they accumulate service hours every month. So for you scouts out there, for you church organizations, for the youth, youth leadership, youth ministry, this would be a great way for them to to accumulate their service hours and give back in our community. Because if we’re if we’re not giving, what, what is, what is the purpose we got to give and give more and give more and give more.

ADRIENNE: 
So and then Chanda, you may. Mention that this like the Safe Ride gets hired for events. Yeah, tell us about that. Talk about how different event promoters can bring you guys out. Yeah. How does that work?

CHANDA: 
Yes, yes, definitely. So if you’re having an event and you serve alcohol, reach out to Safe Ride. Hawaii, we service a lot of events, concerts. We’ve done smolt whiskey affair. This recent one was poo poos and brews. We’ve done the Beer Fest, so all types of events. And this year we’ve done golf tournaments. From the beginning we started in 2020 however, this year has really boomed with that. It has been a domino effect with golf tournaments. People are see on the website. You got weddings, weddings, yes, weddings also. So any type of events that’s serving alcohol, please reach out if you want us to be there and service your event,

ATTILIO:
graduation party, retirement parties.

ADRIENNE: 
Reviewing is be proactive. Yeah, you know that you’re going to be serving alcohol, and then there could be a chance that, you know, we’ll make a bad decision. Just get safe right out there.

ATTILIO: 
I mean, just just to speak out from risk management and the litigiousness of our of our society as an organization, it looks really good for your risk management that you do that, besides the fact that it’s the right thing to do. But let me ask, like you business owners, you event planners out there, how is the narrative, or how is the story of that, that people come to this event and they see safe right in the front, I think that’s a huge plus, and it says something about your organization, that you care about the people attending your event, and you want them to get home safely a lot of times, right? Were we leaving safe ride home? But I’m like, You know what? Instead of safe ride home, safe ride Hawaii home is what they should be saying, and they should be hiring you for their events.

ADRIENNE: 
Chanda, how far in advance would someone need to book you guys out if they wanted to hire you for the event?

CHANDA: 
Yeah, for the event, I’m going to say as far as possible, because when you’re planning any and you’re volunteers months, maybe even possibly over a year, so as soon as you know, however, we’ve had people who found out about us at the last minute, and they’ll call us when event is in a few days or a week ago. So I would say, just call. Just Just call me and just call. Can do

ATTILIO: 
Hey, you event planners that are organized, and just call now and you procrastinate our event planners. Okay, you can still call, but anyway, yeah, so I think it’s a great thing that you guys have been doing it, and that it’s amazing, and it says a lot about you and Amphay that you’ve taken a tragedy and turned it into something positive in our community. So we thank you so much for that. Adrienne, anything else for anything? Any other questions we should have asked that we haven’t. I don’t believe so okay, and thank you so much for being on the show.

ADRIENNE: 
I’m sorry that we’re gonna miss you this year, but hopefully next year, it’s all it’ll coordinate better, like, well, we’ll be leaving on the we’ll literally be off island. So Lonnie, otherwise, we would be there, yeah? Because on island we would be there. Oh, thank you.

ATTILIO: 
Yeah, yeah. So people go out there. This is great team building, great employee retention. Show up with all you guys crew out there for benefit. Marketing is a tip I give to you business owners, when consumers cannot tell the difference between you and your competitor, they 98% of the time go with the organization that’s giving back into their community. So not only does it make make sense and the right thing for a community, but it’s a good business business decision too. So thank you so much.

CHANDA:
Yeah, if they’re coming as a business, a group organization, wear your uniform. So, you know, come as a group with people promote your business

ATTILIO: 
and people Costco, I call it out all the big ones with plenty people and Walmart, you know, all these big corporations do have things that they need to plan for their employees that is part of their standard operating procedure and part of their corporate culture. So small businesses become businesses, whatever come out. You know, Ace Hardware elsewhere. I don’t know what all these are. Basket Robins bring some free ice cream. Taco Bell. You know, Taco Bell, you guys right over there, bring them some tacos for all of what

ADRIENNE: 
people waving and, you know, it was really nice last year I noticed that habilitat They, they brought a little tree, tree up there,

CHANDA:
eating a tree every year. Nice. It therefore August, yeah.

ATTILIO: 
Oh, by the way, shout out to habilitat if they’re still there. But the all the trees and all the profits go to support drug rehabilitation program that’s been in Hawaii, live in, program that’s been how. Lally successful. So thank you so much for hibilis

ADRIENNE:
and they support other nonprofits, Lally Safe Ride. I mean, that’s very thoughtful that they that they do that every year for you guys. Awesome.

ATTILIO: 
So be it. Pay attention in that community. Honk your horn. Go crazy with the horn. Bring attention and awareness to this. Pay attention to your driving. Though, no, go across your car while you’re waving to the people pay attention to you driving. Let the passenger go wave like going crazy. Video tape it as you go by. Post it on your social media. Let everybody do it live. Everybody come out. Build the awareness. We want to have safe holiday season this year, and so we want a lot of happy stories, not sad ones. Thank you so much, Shonda for being out and tell MP we said, Hello,

CHANDA: 
yes, okay,

ADRIENNE: 
Aloha, aloha. Okay, so that was Chanda Park with Safe Ride Hawaii. Yeah, please go. Download the app, check them out online, learn more about the services.

ATTILIO: 
Safe Ride. I think it’s safe ride.org or is it safe, right? Hawaii? Or, yep, go look them up. Yeah. Just google them. You’ll figure it out and stuff. And if anything, just go to our resource tab or thing, or we have a tab on our thing that says we support and there’s a link there, giving you all that information to them. By the way, if you hear anything on the show, you want us to ask a question, or you had more questions about something that we talked about. All you got to do is send us an email at info, at Team lally.com, or give us a call at 7999596, again, that’s 7999596,

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