Celebrate Red Ribbon Week

In a recently released statement by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), one of the most important components of an effective substance-use prevention strategy is bringing together the voices of parents, schools, and community members to collectively give our children the message that choosing a healthy, substance-free lifestyle is the best decision they can make for their lives. For the past three years, as the Action for Community Transformation (ACT) Coalition has been developing, this has been our mission.

ACT works with community members in Columbia, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, and Union Counties to collaborate amongst families, schools, community organizations, and agencies to bring effective substance-use prevention strategies as well as resources for finding help with substance-use related issues to the youth of central Pennsylvania. This is our fourth year of partnership with Sunbury Broadcasting Corporation in developing the Red Ribbon Week activities and resources used by schools and other community organizations in central Pennsylvania.

For the past three years, we have worked together in creating a mini-publication for area middle school students that is utilized in the classroom and is available on-line to the entire community. We have also worked to build awareness of Red Ribbon Week and to create a sustained substance-use prevention campaign throughout the year both in schools and within the community. This year we are expanding our Red Ribbon Week planning to include the mini-publication and our annual 10,000 Ribbons Campaign. Local businesses participate in the 10,000 Riboons Campaign help us to get the word out about Red Ribbon Week and to encourage all community members to wear a red ribbon in support of the campaign and its mission. In addition to these projects, we are revving up to host a Red Ribbon Week Kick-Off event with a 5K run and other fun activities for families.

In support of our goal to increase community participation in Red Ribbon Week and in sustaining year-round substance-use prevention efforts, a representative of ACT Coalition will be visiting many community organizations to extend an invitation to get involved and to make a difference in the lives of our children. Together we can work to end the destruction substance-use incurs on our children´s lives by stopping substance-use before it ever starts.