Oct 22, 2011

"IT'S UP TO ME TO BE DRUG FREE" RED RIBBON WEEK 2011

RED RIBBON WEEK 2011'S NEW CONTEST: 
"IT'S UP TO ME TO BE DRUG FREE"
  
 - Students Can Win $1,000 for Their K-12 Schools
and an iPad 2 for themselves -

The 26th annual Red Ribbon Week features a new national contest this year: "It's Up to Me to Be Drug Free." Winners from ten region across the U.S. will receive $1,000 for their K-12 schools and an iPad 2 for themselves, from The National Family Partnership (NFP).  "As schools across America celebrate Red Ribbon Week this year, with this new contest students will take the message home," said Peggy Sapp, NFP's volunteer president and CEO of Informed Families. "By decorating their homes together, families carry the message to their communities."  Recognized as the nation's oldest and largest drug prevention campaign, Red Ribbon Week reaches more than 80 million people nationwide every year from October 23-31.

How the contest works:
Students (K-12) can enter from now through October 31 by decorating their homes together with their parents - mailboxes, front doors or fences. Parents (18 or older) can upload photos to www.redribbon.org/enter or www.facebook.com/RedRibbonWeek. Then friends and family can vote for their entry from November 1-15. The entries in each region with most votes will win.

The U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is co-sponsoring this year's national contest. "SAMHSA is honored to have been part of this effort for many years, and we hope together we will continue to help prevent substance abuse within our families, schools and communities," said Frances Harding, SAMHSA's Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention." The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency has also supported the campaign since its very beginnings: "Wear the Red Ribbon to show you care about having a healthy body and a clear mind free of drugs," said Michele M. Leonhart, DEA Administrator.  "Take the pledge, because it's up to you and me to be drug free!"

# # #

About Red Ribbon Week and NFP
Red Ribbon Week is the nation's largest and oldest drug prevention campaign, reaching 80 million people every year from October 23-31. NFP created the national campaign in response to the 1985 death of DEA agent Kiki Camarena, who was abducted and murdered by drug traffickers in Mexico. The NFP was established in 1980, and is a national leader in drug prevention, education and advocacy. Its mission is to lead and support our nation's families and communities in nurturing the full potential of healthy, drug-free youth.  

9 comments:

  1. It's a wonderful idea to start children on drug education early! They seem to be a victim to peer pressure even sooner these days.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Awesome campaign! Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a neat contest! The schools here do a great job making RRW a lot of fun.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Love this! After seeing first hand what drugs can do to a family, I always talk to my boys about the dangers and pressure they are sure to face when they get older.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Drugs are the easiest way to ruin a life...I think programs like these are so incredibly valuable!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks for sharing this campaign with us.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Red Ribbon Week is such a great campaign. Best to get children to commit to being drug free at a young age. The effects of drug abuse on a family are just devastating.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for leaving me a comment!!