Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones, Wednesday, signed a proclamation designating the week of Oct. 24th through the 31st at “Red Ribbon Week.”

Atlantic Mayor Dave Jones signs the Red Ribbon Week Proclamation. (Ric Hanson photo)

The National Family Partnership organized the first Nationwide Red Ribbon Campaign. NFP provides drug awareness by sponsoring the annual National Red Ribbon Celebration. Locally, the event is a collaborative effort between the Atlantic Middle School Builders Club, Kiwanis, Young Professionals of Atlantic, the Elks Drug Awareness Program, Cass County Memorial Hospital, and Officer Devin Hogue.

The campaign is designed to raise awareness, encourage family talk, and make educational materials available, in an effort to offer citizens the chance to commit to a drug-free lifestyle. On the website redribbon.org, there is a pledge parents and citizens can take to demonstrate their commitment.

The Pledge states:

• As parents and citizens, we will talk to our children and the children in our lives about the dangers of drug abuse.
• We will set clear rules for our children about not using drugs.
• We will set a good example for our children by not using illegal drugs or medicine without a prescription.
• We will monitor our children’s behavior and enforce appropriate consequences, so that our rules are respected.
• We will encourage family and friends to follow the same guidelines to keep children safe from substance abuse

Since its beginning in 1985, the Red Ribbon has touched the lives of millions of people around the world. In response to the murder of DEA Agent Enrique Camarena, angered parents and youth in communities across the country began wearing Red Ribbons as a symbol of their commitment to raise awareness of the killing and destruction cause by drugs in America.