Profile on "Seatbelt Sadie"

Sadie has been monitoring traffic safety as a Safe Communities coordinator under a grant funded by the North Dakota Department of Transportation since July 2002. She heard about the position in May before the program restarted in Grand Forks. She has always been an advocate for wearing a seatbelt and not drinking and driving. Sadie also enjoys working with different people and providing safety information.

As a coordinator one of her goals is to develop a strong coalition that is made up of several subcommittees each working on specific projects. Sadie would like for the coalition to work towards developing projects that make the community a safer community. She looks forward to helping get the coalition geared to run with their ideas. Through these joint efforts she would like a program that is strong and recognizable by name.

Prior to working with Safe Communities Sadie worked as a program coordinator for a grocery-shopping program for elderly. And during the summers while in college, she worked as Program Support Assistant for Tri Valley Opportunity Council (organizing staff events, meetings, purchasing program supplies, writing reports, etc.).

Sadie is married to Eric Ripley and her immediate family members include her dad (Pat Callahan) and mom (Carol Callahan), father-in-law (David Ripley) and mother-in-law (Jeanette Ripley), sisters, brothers, brother-in-laws, sister-in-laws, nieces, and a nephew (Keri, Gary, Sierra, & Ian Witherell ~ Tracy, Jim, and Sammi Whalen ~ Ryan and Jennifer Callahan ~ Kelsey Callahan ~ Casey Callahan ~ Scott and Jana Ripley). Sadie also has a large extended family on both sides.

In her spare time, Sadie likes a really good movie (girly, action, comedy, etc…. all except horror). She loves taking walks when the mosquitoes are not awful and enjoys going to the lake just to sit on the beach in the hot sun. She likes cooking with her husband; She loves to visit with people and loves watching her nieces and nephew.

Sadie enjoys her new nickname…"Seatbelt Sadie". She loves to surround herself with people who are family oriented as she herself enjoys family time. She also likes sleeping, talking, going to the beauty salon, and hearing jokes. She does not like scary movies, being late, staying up late, house hunting, people who are intimidating or are not trustworthy.