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A sea of red ribbons have infiltrated Fort Jackson, this week signifying the national effort to guide children of all ages to a drug-free lifestyle.
“The Red Ribbon Week Campaign was started by Nancy Reagan,” said Devita Hampton, Army Substance Abuse Program specialist. “It started because of a (Drug Enforcement Agency) agent who was killed in the line of duty.”
The first Red Ribbon Celebration was held in 1988 by the National Family Partnership in honor of Enrique “Kiki” Camarena.
Camarena joined the Drug Enforcement Administration as a Special Agent in 1974 in Calexico, California. In 1981 he was assigned to the Guadalajara Resident Office where he followed the country’s biggest marijuana and cocaine traffickers.
On Feb. 7, 1985, shortly before he was able to expose the drug trafficking operations to the public, he was kidnapped and never seen again.
In honor of his memory and his battle against illegal drugs, friends and neighbors began to wear red badges of satin. Parents, who were sick of the destructions caused by alcohol and drugs began forming coalitions that embraced his belief that one person can make a difference.
These coalitions also adopted the symbol of Camarena’s memory which has now become synonymous with educating the youth and encouraging participation in drug prevention activities.
In 1988, President Ronald Reagan and his wife, Nancy Reagan declared the last week of October as National Red Ribbon Week. Their declaration urged Americans to wear red ribbons as symbols of Camarena’s memory and a commitment to drug abuse awareness and resistance.
“Every year there’s a different message for Red Ribbon Week,” Hampton said. “This year it is ‘Be Kind to Your Mind: Be Drug Free.’”
Hampton continued to say children need to care for themselves holistically and one of the many ways to do so is to not partake in any drug use or abuse.
For more information on substance abuse and available resources, contact ASAP at 751-7294.
| Date Taken: | 10.26.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 10.26.2023 07:13 |
| Story ID: | 456568 |
| Location: | FORT JACKSON, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 72 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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