In partnership with the DMAC Foundation, Lyft and Rainier Taxi will be offering CWU students free rides from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. starting this fall.
Students will be able to use the code WILDCATSRIDESAFE to receive this offer as long as they are within a five mile radius of the CWU campus. The goal is to help students get home safe without driving under the influence or walking from downtown Ellensburg to residential areas.
Diego Garza died on Feb. 18, 2023 in a single vehicle accident during his time at Gonzaga University. His mom, Brooke Beaty, and dad, Steve Garza, created the foundation with the hope that other students or families would not have to experience what they did. They soft launched the foundation in April of 2024 at Gonzaga, where they shared the story, goals and resources they provide. Support during this period was prevalent from the school to the family.
Since the initial launch, the program has aided in over 1,800 students’ journeys home.
“It just felt like the next right step to do was to give back and to see what we can do about making sure that every kid can get home safe without fear of recourse or any obligations of talking to their parents or faculty, because that can be kind of a hindrance, right,” Garza said.
To help with managing this project from their hometown, Lakewood, the family has assigned five student ambassadors to help ensure that things go as expected. One is Ryan Atterberry who had been best friends with Diego Garza.
“What we have found so far is that the peer to peer relationship and information sharing is a lot better than you know us as older people… saying ‘hey, you’re gonna go out and have fun let’s be responsible about it, right?’ We’ve chosen ambassadors that will preach the responsibility aspect,” Steve Garza said.
This expands to their other project, #Project22, which focuses on resources and education on fentanyl and overdose. This is in honor of a friend of the Garza family, Spencer Dubin, who died on Oct 22, 2022 to an accidental fentanyl overdose. #Project22 is an authorized distributor of Naloxone which combats opioids and blocks their effects. They will be partnering with the Student Health and Wellness Center to supply this to students.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, call or text 988.
As for a crisis or current overdose, call 911.
