Red Ribbon Week is the nation’s oldest and largest drug prevention campaign in the nation reaching millions of Americans near the last week of October every year. By wearing red ribbons and participating in community events, young people pledge to live sober and thus healthier, lives.
During this year’s Red Ribbon Week, Healthy Communities Coalition asks adults to respond to the growing epidemic of prescription drug misuse among youths by keeping medications locked up, and properly disposing of old medications.
Medication, which can be therapeutic for the person for whom it is prescribed, is frequently falling into the wrong hands. Youths often aren't getting these drugs from a drug dealer on the street; rather, friends and family have become the unintentional suppliers. Christy McGill, director of HCC, noted that in Lyon County, discarded medications can be safely disposed of at the Lyon County Sheriff’s office and substations and the Yerington Police Department.
To mark the Red Ribbon campaign, Healthy Communities Coalition’s Stand Tall youth leadership teams are leading events throughout the Lyon and Storey areas during the next two weeks. Walker River Community Coalition and Mason Valley Boys and Girls Clubs are also hosting creative activities to promote healthy lifestyles and discourage alcohol, tobacco, prescription and other drug abuse.
The Dayton High based Stand Tall team will lead a presentation promoting wellness, and alcohol, tobacco and other drug use prevention to Riverview Elementary 5th graders. They’ll also sponsor Dayton schools classroom door decorating contests for the best substance abuse prevention message, and will invite students to sign “red shoe” pledges to be substance free.
You will find the Dayton Stand Tall team passing out red ribbons at the Senior Night Volleyball and Football games, as well as participating in the DHS Leadership Fall Festival.
The Silver Stage High based Stand Tall team will distribute red ribbons, and will host an always popular “drug goggles” basketball game for a demonstration of the physical impairments drug use can cause.
Virginia City’s Stand Tall team is hosting an alcohol, tobacco and other drug use prevention assembly on October 28. They’ll give red silicon bracelets to those students wearing red and show drug use prevention commercials, as well as a segment on marijuana use from the Truth about Drugs documentary.
Afterward, Misty Allen of the Nevada Office of Suicide Prevention will explain the new suicide and crisis prevention texting program being offered at Virginia City High.
The Stand Tall team based at Fernley High will distribute red ribbons and bracelets during game night.
In Yerington, Mason Valley Boys and Girls Club’s Teen Club and Homework Room will both sponsor week long events focusing on preventing the use of alcohol, tobacco, prescription and other drug abuse.
Walker River Community Coalition is promoting Red Ribbon Week with lots of activities, including school door decorations with a pizza party for the winning classes, a Tobacco Use Prevention Assembly, Red Ribbon Pledges and a Red Rally Day (EVERYONE WILL WEAR RED).
For more information about Stand Tall teams, contact regional coordinator Lavurne Jeffreys at (775) 246-0320 or 246-7550. For more information about Healthy Communities Coalition, click here or their Facebook page by clicking here.
Photo by Quest Lakes:A Dayton Stand Tall team member shows Dayton Elementary students the results of chewing tobacco on teeth and gums with the "Mr. Gross Mouth" model at a Red Ribbon presentation last year. The Stand Tall teams will host similar presentations at schools throughout Lyon and Storey during the next two weeks.