Red Ribbon Week raises awareness of drug use and the problems related to drugs facing our community, and encourages parents, educators, business owners, and other community organizations to promote drug-free lifestyles.
Wearing red ribbons during the month of October continues to represent our pledge to live drug free and honors the sacrifice of all who have lost their lives in the fight against drugs.
Take the opportunity to talk to your kids about drugs. 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.
Celebrate Red Ribbon Week in your community or your child’s school and raise awareness of living a drug free life. There are lots of ways to celebrate Red Ribbon Week and every part of your community can get involved. Here are some ways communities can get involved:
- Contact your elected officials about issuing a proclamation declaring Red Ribbon Week in your community.
- Invite elected and government officials to participate in Red Ribbon Week activities.
- Display a basket of red ribbons in the reception area of your organization for visitors to take, along with copies of the Red Ribbon Week fact card.
- Display red ribbons on the interior and exterior surfaces of your organization’s building.
- Sponsor a special drug abuse prevention seminar for the community. Invite a speaker who is an expert on drug prevention and invite the community to attend.
- Submit a public service announcement about Red Ribbon Week activities to your local radio station.
- Sponsor an in-service educational program for your employees and community leaders.
- Organize a drug prevention awareness fair. Invite local nonprofit organizations to participate by staffing exhibit booths, disseminating educational materials, offering free health screenings, and much more.
- Set up and staff an exhibit table at a local hospital, doctor’s office, community center, or shopping center to promote Red Ribbon Week and to distribute drug prevention information and materials.
- Post fact sheets and Red Ribbon Week event notices and other materials on community webpages, and on bulletin boards in libraries, hospitals, local churches, synagogues, gymnasiums, grocery stores, parks and recreation departments, health clinics, universities, and other public places.
Here are some ways schools can get involved:
- Wear red ribbons and distribute them to your friends, family, volunteers, staff, and employees.
- Sponsor a Red Ribbon Week activity (e.g., fun run; bike-a-thon; bookmark, poster, or essay contest; classroom door decorating contest).
- Incorporate drug prevention facts and tips in your school-wide announcements and websites throughout Red Ribbon Week. Create a bulletin board display about Red Ribbon Week and post it in a high traffic area of your school.
- Have a Red Ribbon Rally with performances by local talent or school groups.
- Have a school assembly (everyone can wear red) and invite a law enforcement officer to speak about the dangers of drug abuse.
- Do a drug prevention and refusal skills presentation for your classmates.
- Promote Red Ribbon Week at your school's sporting events by handing out red ribbons, providing information about Red Ribbon Week, and having parents and students take a drug-free pledge.
- Sponsor an in-service training on drug prevention education for school administrators, teachers, counselors, nurses, and other staff.
- Start a Red Ribbon Week Club that meets regularly to promote drug prevention throughout the year.
- Sponsor a health fair and invite health and safety workers from the community to provide educational materials to students and parents.
Visit www.GetSmartAboutDrugs.com for more information about Red Ribbon Week.
Submitted by: Halle Pardun, Burnett Medical Center Marketing Director
“Healthy Minute” is brought to you by healthyburnett.org
Last Update: Oct 29, 2019 9:40 am CDT
