Red Ribbon Trunk or Treat set for for Sat.
Coalition to raise awareness of community drug problems
The Yuma County Anti-Drug Coalition will kick off Red Ribbon Week with a trunk or treat event on Saturday from 2-4 p.m. at Yuma Catholic High School.
The event will feature candy giveaways, music and a DJ, raffles and activities, including a pumpkin carving contest. To participate in the contest, bring a carved pumpkin and be ready to be judged.
The coalition invites the community to take a visible stand against drugs by helping it mark Red Ribbon Week from Oct. 23-31. Red Ribbon Week raises awareness of drug use and the problems related to drugs facing the community and encourages parents, educators, business owners and other community organizations to promote drug-free lifestyles.
“Red Ribbon Week encourages our entire community to adopt healthy, drug-free lifestyles,” said coalition member and Yuma County Attorney Jon Smith. “The campaign brings together parents, schools and businesses as we look for ways to keep kids and communities drug free.”
Several local agencies will be on hand to provide information to the public. The event will also feature costume and pumpkin-carving contests and free candy for the kids.
In 1985, Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Enrique S. “Kiki” Camarena was killed by drug traffickers. Shortly after his death, citizens from his hometown of Calexico, California, began wearing red ribbons to remember him and commemorate his sacrifice.
The first official Red Ribbon Week celebration was created by the National Family Partnership in 1988. NFP continues to coordinate the campaign for families, schools and communities across the nation each year.
Since then, the red ribbon has symbolized a continuing commitment to reducing the demand for illicit drugs in our communities.
“Red Ribbon Week gives us the opportunity to be vocal and visible in our efforts to achieve a drug-free community,” Smith said. “Research shows that children are less likely to use alcohol and other drugs when parents and other role models are clear and consistent in their opposition to drug use and the misuse of prescription drugs.”
This event is supported by the Office of National Drug Control Policy and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as part of a financial assistance award funded by the ONDCP.
For more information about the Yuma County Anti-Drug Coalition, visit it’s Facebook page or contact President Nadia Orozco at nadia.orozco@usmc.mil or call 928-269-3079.