Downtown’s Designated Dawgs

Check out this great story about Designated Dawgs from Grady Newsource

Downtown’s Designated Dawgs

By: Alexcia Fauscett and Cody Godwin

Athens, Ga.– One campus organization at UGA is keeping people at this top party school safe after their nights out. Designated Dawgs is a volunteer group that gives people who have been drinking free rides home. They run on the busiest downtown nights.

“We operate on Thursday’s and Friday’s in the fall semester and Friday’s and Saturday’s in the spring.” says Executive Director Patrick Klibanoff.

They have given over 70,000 rides since they started in 2002.

“It’s easy to sign up to volunteer. We operate all year, and it’s fun,” Patrick says. “And it’s even better if you bring your friends because you get to hang out with them all night.”

“We have both taken this home before, and so we just kind of thought it would be nice to give back to something we used,” new volunteer Stewart Crew says of himself and navigator Lacey Kincheloe.

There are only a few simple rules that need to be followed when using Designated Dawgs.

“First is please properly wear your seatbelt the entire ride. The second is please speak in a polite manner to all the people in the car. And number three, if you feel the need to relieve yourself in any manner please inform us immediately,” says Lacey.

“No questions asked, no catch, no nothing. Just a free ride,” says Stewart.

“My friends and I needed a safe ride home from downtown so we though it’d be a mature, good decision to make,” says UGA senior Bailey Davis on her use of Designated Dawgs.

Designated Dawgs is located outside the Fred Building on College Avenue inbetween some of the most crowded bars in town. You can call or walk up to one of the tables to get a free and friendly ride home. Stewart and Lacey also clear up any misconceptions people may have.

“We are not religious, we will not read you Bible verses, and we will not call the police on you if you happen to be underage,” they say.

“This would be a no-brainer alternative to having a DUI,” says Bailey Davis.