WC students join Red Ribbon Week event

MARIANNA - The Panhandle Area Drug & Alcohol Abuse Prevention Coalition (PANDAAP) announces the 2008 I’m Aware:  Youth Empowerment Workshop scheduled Friday, October 31st, 9am-12:00noon CST at Chipola College Student Health Center, Marianna.  Area ninth graders from Jackson, Liberty and Washington Counties will participate in an action-packed education event to learn about the health dangers of drug, alcohol, and tobacco use.

State Representative Marti Coley will kick off the program followed by headline speaker Willie D. Spears.  Mr. Spears hails from Panama City where he graduated from Rutherford High School.  He graduated from Troy University with a Master’s degree in Education and Northwestern Oklahoma State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Communication.  In addition to working as a Disney Cruise Line entertainer, he was a former teacher, coach, comedian, and radio personality. 

October 31st is the day set aside for the seminar culminating a week-long awareness initiative called Red Ribbon Week.  Red Ribbon Week came into being to keep alive the work of Drug Enforcement Administration Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena who was kidnapped, tortured, and brutally murdered in 1985 while working undercover in Guadalajara, Mexico for over four years.  His work led to the discovery of a multimillion dollar narcotics manufacturing operation in Chihuahua, Mexico.

According to the website, [ http://www.redribboncoalition.com/index.php/history ]http://www.redribboncoalition.com/index.php/history, in 1988, Red Ribbon Week was recognized nationally with President Ronald and First Lady Nancy Reagan serving as the Honorary Chairs.  Red Ribbon Week brings millions of people together to raise awareness regarding the need for alcohol, tobacco and other drug and violence prevention, early intervention, and treatment services. The website indicates that it is the largest, most visible prevention awareness campaign observed annually in the United States.

Local area coalitions have worked tirelessly to find resources to sponsor Red Ribbon Day and provide a united position on educating the 3-county area students on the prevention of drug (illicit and prescription), alcohol, and tobacco use.  There is no cost to the students nor their parents to participate. 

Coalitions joining efforts for Red Ribbon week are Big Bend AHEC, Character Council of Florida, Inc., Community Safety Coalition, Department of Health Jackson County Healthy Communities, Healthy People program, Jackson County Students Working Against Tobacco, Jackson Hospital, Liberty County Students Working Against Tobacco, PAHN, PANDAAP, and the Washington County Health Department.