The Clearwater Neighborhood Family Center with the support of the City of Clearwater invites the community to celebrate Red Ribbon Day on Wednesday, October 25 from 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. at the North Greenwood Recreation Center, 900 N Martin Luther King Ave, Clearwater. Attendees are encouraged to wear red! There will be red ribbons available to wear at the event.
Red Ribbon Day holds great importance as it actively encourages a united and visible stance against drugs within a community. By participating in this annual event, individuals demonstrate their commitment to promoting a drug-free environment.
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.
Enrique (Kiki) Camarena was a Drug Enforcement Administration Agent who was tortured and killed in Mexico in 1985. When he decided to join the US Drug Enforcement Administration, his mother tried to talk him out of it. “I’m only one person”, he told her, “but I want to make a difference.”
On Feb. 7, 1985, the 37-year-old Camarena left his office to meet his wife for lunch. Five men appeared at the agent’s side and shoved him in a car. One month later, Camarena’s body was found. He had been tortured to death.
Agenda
3 p.m. – 3:10 p.m. Terry Jones / Ramon Pires / Michele Edwards Welcome
3:10 p.m. – 3:25 p.m. Clearwater Mayor Addresses the Audience
3:25 p.m. – 3:40 p.m. Awards presented from various groups
3:40 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. Awards presented by Demetria Coleman (stress buster) SPC
3:45 p.m. – 5 p.m. Clearwater Mayor and Council, City Manager, Police Department, K-9 Demonstration, Fire & Rescue (fire truck), Pinellas County Sheriff Department (Throw-A-Way Pill Dispenser), City of Clearwater Photographer and others, National Safety Council (Crash Car), Stress Buster, Display of Youth Talent (Vision Boards)
- Group Picture will be taken to enter the Red Ribbon Photo Contest for next year – 2024! As a community, we would ask you to please stay around for this photo, that will be taken by the City of Clearwater Fire Truck. You will be an intricate part in assisting us in winning the “Red Ribbon Photo Contest”!
- Our youth are tasked to develop next year’s theme and prizes from the Red Ribbon will be presented to their organization.
- Music, Fun, Excitement, Snacks – as you join this educational and heart-warming celebration! Have fun as you meet the individuals that make this city great!
- Red Ribbon Gate Decorations by Student Volunteers – SPC – Summer of Success – Woman on the Way and Florida African America Male Experience (FAAME)
Through various activities like wearing red ribbons and organizing awareness campaigns, the community collectively raises awareness about the harmful effects of drugs and the importance of prevention. This observance serves as a powerful reminder that together, we can make a difference by supporting and empowering those affected by drug abuse. It fosters a sense of unity, resilience, and determination to create a safer and healthier community for everyone.
Learn More about the Red Ribbon Campaign:
Red Ribbon Week is celebrated annually from October 23-31. Red Ribbon Week highlights the importance of living a drug-free life. It presents an opportunity for parents, educators, and communities to reinforce the drug-free messages they share with their children throughout the year.
Red Ribbon Social Media Campaign
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has created this social media campaign to encourage the use of social media to help us spread the word about Red Ribbon and its message of “Living Drug Free”.
The nation’s largest and longest-running drug-use prevention campaign.
Clearwater Neighborhood Family Center
900 North Dr. MLK Jr. Ave., Clearwater, FL 33755
727-442-5355
About the Clearwater Neighborhood Family Center
The Mission of the Clearwater Neighborhood Family Center (CNFC) is enriching the lives of children and families in the spirit of community and common goals by being a resource for collaborative partnerships. The center is dedicated to the belief that families should have the resources, support, and skills necessary to raise children in a healthy and safe neighborhood, which promotes the development of their maximum potential.
CNFC was created in 2008 as one of the nonprofit organizational leaders of the “Family Neighborhood” movement in the State of Florida. The Family Center is located at the North Greenwood Recreation and Aquatics Center. We are a member of a collaborative partnership, which includes The Juvenile Welfare Board, the City of Clearwater Parks and Recreation Department and the Neighborly Care Network. Families come to the Center seeking assistance with basic needs, after school care for their children, assistance with food, rent, utilities and a chance to participate in programs such as healthy cooking, parenting classes, well baby classes, safe social media classes, job interviewing workshops and an array of services as needed.
Feature photo courtesy of Gabriel Baranski on UnSplash
the National Family Partnership
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