26 May Get Involved: Help a Community Make a Difference!

On Tuesday May 17th, a tragic accident occured in Waxhaw, NC killing a 14-year old boy. This loss is serving as the final straw for the Waxhaw community; now they’re looking for changes. Alexander Pappa, 17, and his brother, Paulo Pappa, were leaving Cutherbertson High School that Tuesday afternoon when Alexander Pappa lost control of his vehicle and went sideways on New Town Road in Waxhaw. An SUV coming from the other direction struck their car on the passenger side, state troopers said.

Paulo Pappa was trapped in the car and had to be removed by firefighters. He died on the way to an area hospital. Alexander Pappa was not seriously injured in the crash.

A Facebook group calling for safety changes to New Town Road was created by friends of Paulo after the accident. But what can you do to help? Continue reading to learn how just a minute of your time can go a long way!

Along with the ongoing facebook campaign, friends have taken the next step of creating a petition in order to make Newtown road safer. They are trying to get as much support as possible to propose to the North Carolina Department of Transportation to:

1. Lower the speed limit on the dangerous road.
2. Add mirrors to the many blind curves on the road.
3. Add shoulders to the sharp turns in the road.

“Over the years neighbors and all citizens of Waxhaw agree that Newtown Rd. is the MOST DANGEROUS ROAD in the whole area. It has 2 accidents every week, leading to severe injuries and many horrible losses, like our friend, Paulo, who got his life taken away as just a Freshman.” – Crystal Boland

Are you willing to take a minute of your time to help a traumatized community make a necessary change? Go to http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/newtown right now and fill out the quick information in order to sign the petition online. Every signature will matter! You can also visit their website to stay up-to-date on the safety movement.