Make Good Decisions
Educating Teens about the Indiana Lifeline Law.
SPEAKERS
If you or your group would like to have a speaker on the topics of drug and alcohol abuse, binge drinking and the Indiana Lifeline Law, please review the information below
SPEAKER PROFILES
State Senator Jim Merritt
Jim Merritt has been a strong advocate for all Hoosiers in the Indiana Senate since his first legislative session in 1991. As Chairman of the Senate Majority Caucus, Senator Merritt has been an integral part of creating and implementing landmark legislation like property tax reform, veterans benefit improvements, synthetic drug regulation, eliminating abandoned homes, the Indiana Lifeline Law, the Safe Haven Law and the Silver Alert.
Having served in the state Senate for more than 23 years representing an Indianapolis district, Senator Merritt is Chairman of the Utilities Committee. He is also a member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security, Transportation and Veterans Affairs; the Senate Public Policy Committee and the Senate Rules Committee.
Senator Merritt is vice president of corporate affairs for the Indiana Railroad Company. He graduated from Indiana University in 1981 with a B.A. in political science. He and his wife Kelley have two daughters and a son.
Norm and Dawn Finbloom
Norm and Dawn Finbloom are the parents of Brett Finbloom who died at the age of 18 from alcohol poisoning. Brett was at a teenage party when he made the bad decision to drink alcohol. Brett drank too much, too fast, and passed out. Underage friends were afraid of legal consequences and did not understand the serious dangers of binge drinking so they waited and debated before making the 911 call. If they had called 911 immediately, stayed and cooperated with first responders they would have had immunity from underage drinking and many related offenses pursuant to Indiana’s Lifeline Law. Most importantly they may have saved their friend, Brett’s, life.
Empowering teenagers with life-saving knowledge is now the work of Norm and Dawn Finbloom. They educate teens about the warning signs of deadly alcohol poisoning, the dangers of binge drinking, Indiana’s Lifeline Law, and to basically Make Good Decisions. At the conclusion of their presentation they ask audience members to take the Make Good Decisions 3-Part Pledge:
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I will do my best to Make Good Decisions
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If a friend needs help, I will Make The Call
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If I need help, I give you permission to Make The Call
They don’t want families and friends to unnecessarily and tragically loose another life.
Stevan Stankovich
Stevan Stankovich is a recent graduate with his Juris Doctor from Indiana University McKinney School of Law and his Master of Business Administration from Indiana University Kelley School of Business. Stevan also graduated Wabash College Cum Laude with his Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science and a minor in Economics. Stevan has interned in both Indiana Governor Pence’s and Indiana Governor Daniels’ administrations as an Assistant General Counsel and Assistant Policy Director for the Indiana Governor’s Office of Management and Budget. Stevan has also interned as an Assistant General Counsel for Indiana Governor Pence’s General Counsel’s Office. Stevan has traveled extensively to over 20 countries and most of the United States for education and pleasure. Stevan also enjoys volunteering and has been part of numerous volunteer organizations around central Indiana including Second Helpings, United Way, and Habitat for Humanity.
Stevan was a pledge at Delta Tau Delta Fraternity at Wabash College in 2008 when he was asked to watch over his fellow fraternity brother Johnny Smith who had been binge drinking that evening. Stevan was unaware of the signs of alcohol poisoning and was just making sure Johnny did not throw up and choke on his own vomit. Unfortunately Johnny passed away from acute alcohol poisoning that evening.
Stevan’s mission now is to educate teens about the warning signs of deadly alcohol poisoning, the dangers of binge drinking, Indiana’s Lifeline Law, and to basically Make Good Decisions. At the conclusion of his presentation he asks audience members to take the Make Good Decisions 3-Part Pledge:
1. I will do my best to Make Good Decisions
2. If a friend needs help, I will Make The Call
3. If I need help, I give you permission to Make The Call
He doesn’t want other families and friends to unnecessarily and tragically lose another life.
IYSA Staff
The current IYSA staff is also available upon request
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