OCTOBER 2021
REACH NEWSLETTER WHAT'S INSIDE
ENRIQUE "KIKI" CAMARENA
Red Ribbon Week Pictures Pages 2&3 Staff Spotlight Page 4 Youth Prevention Education Page 5 Youth Recovery Communities Page 6 Coalition & Community Pages 7,8,9 Arts & Crafts Page 10 REACH Podcast Page 11 Fundraising & Sponsors Page 12 Contact Us Page 13
The History of Red Ribbon Week BY EMMA SHELBY Red Ribbon Week is a lot more than just silly dress up days like crazy hair, silly socks, tie dye shirts, etc. It is the nation's largest and longest-running druguse prevention campaign. This year Red Ribbon Week is October 23-31 and the theme is “Drug Free Looks Like Me”. You may be asking yourself, "how did Red Ribbon Week get started?" In 1985, Drug Enforcement Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena was slain by the drug traffickers he was investigating in Mexico. As a tribute to Camarena, friends started “Camarena Clubs” and wore a red ribbon to show their stance against drug use. The National Family Partnership started the first Red Ribbon Week in 1988 with President Reagan and his wife Nancy Reagan. Since then, it has become a campaign across the nation with families, schools and communities. Here at REACH Council, we offer presentations to schools in Ellis and Johnson counties about the dangers of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, as well as handling emotions, healthy friendships, and peer pressure. This year we will be giving out close to 40,000 red ribbon bracelets in Ellis and Johnson County schools for students to wear during Red Ribbon Week. Kiki Camarena image credit: https://www.justthinktwice.gov/article/special-agent-enrique-kiki-camarena