Commissioners proclaim Oct. 23-26 as Red Ribbon Week
Highland County Commissioners Shane Wilkin, Tom Horst and Jeremy Shaffer signed a proclamation for Red Ribbon Week, Oct. 23-26, at Wednesday's board meeting.
Ginger Lowell, Joe Adray, Toni Lewis and Skye Lucas accepted the proclamation.
Red Ribbon Week raises awareness of drug use and the problems related to drugs, and encourages parents, educators, business owners, and other community organizations to promote drug-free lifestyles. Red Ribbon Week encourages the entire community to adopt healthy, drug-free lifestyles.
The National Family Partnership organized the first nationwide Red Ribbon Campaign.
NFP provides drug awareness by sponsoring the annual National Red Ribbon Celebration. Since its beginning in 1985, the Red Ribbon has touched the lives of millions of people around the world.
In response to the murder of DEA Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, angered parents and youth in communities across the country began wearing Red Ribbons as a symbol of their commitment to raise awareness of the killing and destruction cause by drugs in America.
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The Red Ribbon Campaign was started when drug traffickers in Mexico City murdered Camarena, a DEA agent and Calexico, Calif. resident, in 1985.
This began the continuing tradition of displaying Red Ribbons as a symbol of intolerance toward the use of drugs.
The mission of the Red Ribbon Campaign is to present a unified and visible commitment towards the creation of a drug-free America.
In 1988, the first National Red Ribbon Week was organized by the National Family Partnership, proclaimed by the U.S. Congress and chaired by former first lady Nancy Reagan.
Today, the Red Ribbon serves as a catalyst to mobilize communities to educate youths and encourage participation in drug prevention activities
For more on Red Ribbon Week, go to http://redribbon.org.