Red Ribbon Week Will start Sunday
Nancy Horst, Special to The Gazette
Monday, October 20, 2008
Red Ribbon Week, a national drug-prevention campaign, will be observed in the Emporia schools October 26 through November 1 with the theme, “Keep Your Head in the Game — Be Drug Free.”
Red Ribbon Week activities are organized locally by the Safe & Drug Free Schools Program and Emporians for Drug Awareness to promote a drug-free lifestyle. The red ribbon is a national symbol of intolerance towards the use of drugs.
Starting next week, the six elementary schools have been invited to join in a penny war challenge with proceeds going to Emporians for Drug Awareness. Grade levels will be competing to raise the most money. The competition ends Oct. 30 and ice cream bars will be provided to the grade level that raises the most money.
Sunday has been designated as Red Ribbon Sunday. Decorations will be put up in downtown Emporia and red ribbons will be distributed at churches. The annual Eagles Club Drug Awareness Carnival will be held from noon to 4 p.m. at the Eagles Aerie 2587, 1130 E. Ninth Ave. The event will include a cake walk, games, a costume contest, and a haunted house. Costume judging will be held at 2 p.m.
Monday, Oct. 27, will be Lock Your Meds Day. The campaign promotes awareness of the dangers of over-the-counter and prescription drug abuse. Local pharmacies will provide information about how to properly store and dispose of medications.
Tuesday, Oct. 28 has been designated as Protect Yourself from Second-Hand Smoke Day.
On both days, the Emporia High School Spartan Educational Theatre will present drug prevention assemblies to all elementary school buildings. These will be followed by closing comments and a question-and-answer session led by Amanda Stice and EHS students. Wednesday, Oct. 29, will be Wear Red Day.
Thursday, Oct. 30, will be Mentor a Child Day. YouthFriend mentors and YouthFriend Corps students will be doing Red Ribbon Week activities with their students all week.
Friday, Oct. 31, is designated as Drugs are Scary Day. The Emporia Zoo will sponsor Boo in the Zoo from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Drug-prevention information will be distributed during the EHS football game by the high school SADD and FCCLA Clubs, EDA, and Safe & Drug Free Schools. The game is at 7 p.m. at Welch Stadium at Emporia State University.
The celebration concludes Saturday, Nov. 1, with Haught Guys ’n Gowns at 7 p.m. at the Lowther North Auditorium. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for youths. Proceeds will go to EDA.
A special insert was published in The Gazette on Saturday to focus on second-hand smoke, prescription and over-the-counter medications and underage drinking.
For more information about Red Ribbon Week, contact Safe and Drug Free Schools at 341-2450 or by e-mail at mgrimwoo@usd253.org, hwagner@usd253.org, or teresa.walters@usd253.org.
josiesbar (anonymous) says...
EDA gets $92,000 a year in grant money, why in the hell do they need to take pennies from grade school kids?
October 21, 2008 at 3:43 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
giggles (anonymous) says...
Some of the people making comments need to lighten up. You can liken this type of event to Halloween. It is a costume. As for people rolling over in their graves and for such an event seeming to be so appaling to some of you, aren't there bigger issues to be disgruntled about? Obviously it is all for entertainment. It raises money. It must do very well because they have done this for a few years now. If you can find another fundraiser that has that entertainment value and raises that much money or more then I am sure they would like to hear from you. If not, then your distaste is just that. Your distaste. Gotta love a democracy, the MAJORITY rules. Not to say that the majority always rules, but that is the premise. If people like you are the majority then you should probably speak up.
October 29, 2008 at 10:25 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )