The calendar of events is full for Red Ribbon Week activities, beginning Monday and running through Friday.
The third annual “Guys and Gowns” pageant is planned at 7 p.m. Oct. 29, at the W.L. White Auditorium.
Contestants who will dress up and be judged on their performances as women are: Newman Regional Health fundraiser Roy Mann, Emporia High School athletic director Britton Hart, Recreation Commission director Tom McEvoy, radio personality Chuck Samples, Mathis Physical Therapy’s David Crotts and Main Street executive director Casey Woods.
Tables that seat eight people cost $200, with individual tickets priced at $10 for adults and $5 for youths.
A number of related events already have been held or are currently under way.
The Lowther North Intermediate School Walk to Be Drug Free was held earlier this month, and a free medication disposal event ran on Saturday at the Lyon County Fairgrounds.
On Monday, grades kindergarten through 4 at all elementary school buildings opened their penny wars.
Jars have been provided to each class to collect money, which will be counted on Oct. 30. A party will be awarded to the winning class in the individual buildings.
Because the theme this year is “Drug Free Is the Key,” the winning class will receive a “Key to Prevention” that will unlock the type of party they’ve won. Included among the possibilities are cupcake, donut and juice, popcorn and pop, ice cream sundae, pizza, or sno-cone party.
Money collected from the penny wars will be used to finance the 10th annual Keep It a Safe Summer (KISS) event, planned on May 27, 2010.
On Sunday — Faith Is the Key day — the downtown will be decorated according to the week’s theme, and ribbons will be distributed at churches.
Pizza and Prevention night at Lowther North Elementary School is planned from 6:30 to 8 p .m. Monday. Pizza will be given to the first 200 people who attend. Childcare, movie and popcorn will be provided for children while their parents attend an educational meeting.
Emporia State University’s Educational Theatre will be involved on Tuesday’s “Education Is the Key” day. The troupe will perform drug-prevention skits at Emporia Middle School. Red Ribbon Readers from Emporia High School will read to students in after-school programs on that day.
YouthFriend mentors and YouthFriend Corps students will have activities throughout the week as part of the Mentoring Is the Key theme for Wednesday. Students and staff also are asked to wear red on Wednesday.
The Spartan Educational Theatre will present drug-free skits for kindergarten through fourth-grade students on Thursday at schools that signed up for the programs.
More information is available from Walters, 341-2450, or by e-mailing Teresa.Walters@usd253.org, mgrimwoo@usd253.org or hwagner@usd253.org.