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***image1***Parents, children and community leaders will shout, “Look at Me, I’m Drug Free,” during National Red Ribbon Week, which runs from Saturday to Oct. 28.
Red Ribbon Week encourages everyone to take a visible stand against drugs, alcohol and tobacco. Participants usually sign pledges and wear red ribbons to show their personal commitment to a healthy, substance-free lifestyle.
“This week challenges the community to make a year-long commitment to support drug-free lifestyles,” said Heather Robinson, U.S. Army Garrison Kaiserslautern’s Army Substance Abuse Program prevention coordinator.
Students Against Destructive Decisions chapters and the garrison’s contractors, Adolescent Substance Abuse Counseling Services counselors at the Kaiserslautern American Middle and High Schools organized events at both schools for the week-long observance.
For example, KAMS has a theme for each school day during the week such as pajama day or twin day. The school’s Red Ribbon Observance will end with a Halloween dance 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 27 at the school’s cafeteria.
“The significance of Red Ribbon Week is to recommit to a drug-free lifestyle and raise awareness of fun things to do without drugs,” said Jacqueline Frawley, Kaiserslautern American Middle School’s ASACS counselor.
For the first year, the garrison will host a Red Ribbon Relay at the track and field by the Vogelweh Commissary. All units, schools and agencies are invited to participate in this team event, Ms. Robinson said.
The Red Ribbon campaign was started when drug traffickers in Mexico City murdered Kiki Camarena, an undercover drug enforcement officer, in 1985.
Within weeks of his death, Special Agent Camarena’s Congressman and a high school friend launched Camarena Clubs in his hometown of Imperial Valley, Calif. The tradition of making pledges to lead drug-free lives and wearing red badges of satin – red ribbons – as a symbol of Special Agent Camarena’s memory was created at these clubs.
Eventually, Red Ribbon Week became a nationally recognized observance to honor Special Agent Camarena and to reduce demand for drugs through prevention and education programs.
For more information on the Red Ribbon Relay, call Ms. Robinson at 486-6121. For KAMS activities, call Ms. Frawley at 489-7453 or e-mail Jacqueline.frawley@eu.dodea.edu. For KAHS activities, e-mail Debra Morrison-Orton at debra.morrison-orton@eu.dodea.edu. For more information on Air Force sponsored community and school events, call Alex Tremble at 479-2395.
Take a stand
• Drug Education For Youth, sponsored by Drug Demand Reduction, hosts a Red Ribbon Week 5K fun run and 1K childrens’ fun run/walk, 10 a.m. Saturday at the Southside Fitness Center. Trophies will be awarded and T-shirts will be given to the first 200 finishers and there will be prizes awarded throughout the morning.
• The U.S. Army Garrison Kaiserslautern’s Army Substance Abuse Program and Adolescent Substance Abuse Counseling Service counselors sponsor Red Ribbon Relay 2007 8 a.m. to noon Oct. 27 at the track on Vogelweh. Sign-up deadline is Oct. 26. To sign up, call the garrison’s ASAP prevention coordinate, Heather Robinson, at 486-1710 or e-mail heather.robinson1@us.army.mil.
