Joe and Doris Cauwels have put their money where their mouth is in a big way to help keep students away from destructive vices
Joe Cauwels smoked cigarettes longer than he’d care to talk about. But that nasty habit — as hard as it was on his lungs and heart — taught him something. And now, he wants to use his personal vice to help today’s youth.
Joe and his wife, Doris, have created the D&J Clean and Sober Contract, which offers $200 to every student who signs up. But signing up is only the beginning. By entering this contract, students must refrain from using any mindaltering substance. That includes smoking of any kind and consuming alcohol.
At last week’s underclassmen awards program at Tracy Area High School, Alex Greenway read off the names of 40 students who had signed up for the program and received their money at the end of the school day Thursday.
Joe spoke at last week’s event, and told the students he wished someone had talked with him when he was younger about the dangers of smoking and drinking. Add things like vaping to the list, and there are more things than ever that today’s youth need to know the dangers of.
“I was never taught that,” Joe said. “The smoking thing, I’m still plagued with that. And I’m not a fan of alcohol.”
Joe told a story of when he attended an event at the old Showboat in Lake Benton and how he got sick from alcohol as well as what he calls “the best buy” of his life when he bought a two-thirds empty pack of cigarettes from a friend of his son’s for $50 as a way to help him kick the habit.
His second best buy was doing the same thing about five years ago, this time for $100.
“The third best buy, I want to make that available to you,” Joe told the students. “This is 100% on the honor system. I don’t want you to make the mistakes I did.”
