"I'm not against drinking" Deanna Russo, Online Interactive Manager of Buffalo.com/YourHub said as I snapped her picture on the corner of Delaware and Chippewa. "I'm against drinking and driving."

She inadvertently revealed her journalistic training a moment later. "I just thought of the caption to this picture: Standing before the party on Chippewa, there are cabs everywhere. Hey, there goes one right now!" She smiled for a moment, but somewhere inside her professional irony is a true, life-changing story that explains a lot about her and her mission.

"I've been talking about it for ten years now," she says with a look that is filled with both candid exhaustion and honorable perseverance, "but over the past year we've really had a push in the right direction."

When you first meet Deanna Russo, you see a young, intelligent, and tenacious professional. She's not afraid to be honest with her team of writers at Your Hub or to encourage them to step outside of their comfort zones to get the story. She certainly keeps busy. You learn how much when she tells you that her real passion is a non-for-profit organization she has started in honor of her sister, Karen.

Karen Kwiatkowski died tragically ten years ago on March 6th, 1998 at the age of 18, when an intoxicated man hit Karen's friend's car on Seneca Street in South Buffalo. "He had already been arrested earlier that day for being intoxicated. He was released, went back to the bar, and then later drove again," Deanna said.

The organization founded in Karen's memory is Crusade Against Impaired Driving, Inc. and is just recently finding community recognition. "Thursday [March 6 th] was really our first event, and we had about 100 people there." The event, a candlelight vigil at St. John the Evangelist Church in South Buffalo, was within walking distance of the scene of the crash. Those in attendance at the event included members of Deanna's family, others within the community who have been affected by drunk driving, as well as local radio, news stations, and Buffalo politicians.

"I gave the opening prayer and John Sullivan from Stop DWI spoke," Deanna said, "and there were several good songs played, which you can find on the site: karenscrusade.org. Each song has the YouTube link next to it, so that people can hear what was played."

Deanna often speaks of the organization in terms of "we." And yet, she is still extremely independent in the process of building it. "It's me, myself, and I" she joked. "I do have a lot of people who I know I can call upon, and I have resources in the community, but I will call upon these people when it's the right time."

"It's going to be a process" she continued, "to make sure the community knows what I do- why it deserves to be recognized. I learned a lot by setting up this event last week in terms of sponsoring and [in my work] with Buffalo.com and the News. The more events I do, the easier it will get. I'm still learning so many things- so many things about the non-for-profit sector like filling out a 501C3 and getting incorporated into a special insurance you need."

Deanna also explained that in the process of starting Crusade Against Impaired Driving, Inc., she realized just how many non-for-profit organizations there are in Buffalo. "I need to stand out, but I don't see it as a competition. I have a really unique mission. We all have a different cause."

Many people are familiar with MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) and other national programs. "The difference between mine and theirs is that theirs is on a national scale. There isn't a clear cut place where the money goes. Money that I receive is going to Western NY. You donate and you will see where it goes." Deanna hopes to begin a softball fundraiser over the summer, possibly in Delaware Park to raise money. "Karen played softball. It's another way of remembering her." Other future plans for the organization include a safe driving contest and a possible charity concert with local musicians.

On a more personal level, Deanna explains the driving force of the organization: Karen. "I know she's with me. I know she's guiding me. If it wasn't for her, her guidance, I don't think I'd be able to continue." She speaks with strength and assurance. "I wouldn't have been able to speak out against this if it wasn't for her, and the organization can only work if her memory is kept alive."

When asked if she sees her sister in any way as a real life symbol for all the lives lost, Deanna nods. "If people see a real story-a real life person was taken by a bad choice. It's not statistics. She's a person whose life was taken. I read off a list at the vigil of people who died in similar accidents. These are real people, and it's so preventable."

Deanna is well versed on the nature of what she is setting out to accomplish. "As long as there's awareness in the community and a promise that the money will be spent locally to educate and help victims, hopefully the fundraising will continue. It's important that everyone's aware of the mission." That mission is specifically detailed on the web site: "Our mission is to save lives that are tragically lost daily at the hands of drunk-drivers through education, advocacy, awareness, and victim services. Karen Kwiatkowski was a bright and responsible young woman whose life was tragically ended in a drunk-driving crash, and this non-for-profit organization is dedicated to her. We will aggressively work to inform people about the dangers of drunk-driving and the threat these drivers pose to the community until the threat has disappeared completely."

Deanna is aggressive. She has been traveling to local schools for years to tell Karen's story and urge students to think before they get behind the wheel. "High schools, elementary schools, and colleges are really my big focus. There's a part of them that can relate, as Karen was 18 when she died."

The word "aggressive" perhaps also incites a sense of toughness. When asked if she would strengthen the laws against impaired and intoxicated driving, Deanna acknowledged the reality of the situation. "If it was up to me, yes, the laws would be stronger, but its one thing they're stronger and it's another thing to enforce them. People drink and drive and they don't even think twice about it and it happens so often. Everyone must understand these are real people they are endangering."

When discussing her cause, Deanna sometimes expresses disappointment in the bad decisions people can make. Her stronger message however, is one of hope -- perseverant hope, at that.

"When I can walk out of a school and students tell me: 'I won't forget her. You've made a difference' or 'I won't drink and drive.' I feel I've done something. I don't expect to impact everyone, but the few that I do, I hope they think twice before they get behind the wheel."

To learn more about Crusade Against Impaired Driving, click here.