With thunderstorms in the forecast for Thursday afternoon, Judy Appleby prayed the rain would not come. Shortly after her first annual MAKUS golf tournament teed off at one o’clock, her prayers were answered and the sun broke through the clouds at Windstone Golf Course.

“With the weather forecast looking like it was, this day has turned into one more miracle for us,” Judy says.

Judy Appleby lost her 16-year-old son, Michael, in an automobile accident last November. She began MAKUS (Michael Appleby Keeping Us Safe) to educate parents and teachers on the importance of driver's education in high schools.

Judge Russell Bean, a fellow crusader in the driver’s ed cause said the community support for the program is building. “The turnout for this tournament shows the large following MAKUS has picked up, thanks to Judy and Bob Moore,” he said. “We want the MAKUS program to go statewide. I think it can go nationwide.”

Judy says with so many kids dying in car accidents, the word on MAKUS is spreading as communities are touched by the tragedy.

Bob Moore, who lost his daughter Cassie in a car accident in January, has been working with Judy to promote MAKUS. Thursday, Bob spoke with one of the golfers at the tournament who lost a child in an automobile accident in South Carolina just two weeks before Cassie was killed. Bob said the grieving father was happy to hear of an organization in Chattanooga promoting driver’s awareness.

“He came out today and he wants to be a part of what we’re doing here,” Bob said.

A lot of people want to be a part of what they’re doing. 50 volunteers and 120 golfers gathered at Windstone for an afternoon that included lunch, a round of golf, a silent auction, door prizes and dinner.

“We’ve had an absolutely incredible response from the community on the tournament,” Judy said. “So many people contributed to help make this possible.”

Judy said that community support is translating into real results. Hamilton County will be implementing “Alive At 25,” a four-hour driver’s education program in the Fall.

Judy reports they will also incorporate MAKUS into their driver’s ed curriculum, which she says will be a longer, ongoing program. The students mentor one another in safe driving skills. The program also includes seatbelt checks and rewards for kids “caught” buckling up.

Knox Catholic School is also implementing MAKUS into their school after losing a 17-year-old student in a car accident. Three other 17-year-old Knoxville students were killed in auto accidents during that same week.

Through all of Judy’s efforts - the seminars and walks and balloon releases and golf tournaments - she never loses sight of the reason. The events are fun and enjoyable for gathered participants, but they are there because Michael isn’t.

Judy says her son would have been very proud of an event like Thursday’s. “He would think this was awesome,” Judy said. “Somehow, someway, I have to believe he knows what today is all about.”