Red Ribbon Week Celebrated
Volunteers with the Foundation for a Drug-Free World celebrated national Red Ribbon Week during the last weekend of October, distributing hundreds of free drug education materials in Queen Anne. This year alone, local Drug-Free World volunteers have handed out more than 45,000 educational materials in Washington state, and the response has been great!
Queen Anne, Washington, November 11, 2015 (Newswire.com) - By Rev. Ann Pearce
The National Family Partnership, a grassroots nonprofit organization focusing on drug prevention education and advocacy, sponsors the annual National Red Ribbon Celebration in response to the murder of DEA Agent Enrique Camarena several decades ago. After Camarena’s death, parents and youths in communities across the country began wearing red ribbons as a symbol of their commitment to raise awareness of the destruction caused by drugs in America.
Every 12 seconds, another school-age child experiments with illicit drugs for the first time. The Church of Scientology sponsors the Foundation for a Drug-Free World to counter this epidemic with a program built on education.
Rev. Ann Pearce, Queen Anne's Church of Scientology
In 1988, the National Family Partnership sponsored the first National Red Ribbon Celebration. Today, Red Ribbon serves as a catalyst to mobilize communities to educate youths and encourage participation in drug prevention activities.
The foundation also had a community open house during Red Ribbon Week with keynote speaker John Byars, a board member with the Washington School Safety Organization, which is comprised of school security officers, DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) officers, gang resistance and education officers, school resource officers and school administrators.
Byars, who has years of experience working with youths who are challenged with drug use and utilizes Drug-Free World’s educational materials, told the open house audience, “We use them, and they’re effective. You should be commended for the job you’re doing — you make my job easier.”
With every 12 seconds, another school-age child experiments with illicit drugs for the first time. The Church of Scientology sponsors the Foundation for a Drug-Free World to counter this epidemic with a program built on education.
Educators can get their free materials at www.drugfreeworld.org.
THE REV. ANN PEARCE is spokesperson for Queen Anne’s Church of Scientology.
