RED RIBBON WEEK KICKS OFF

Red Ribbon Week kicked off Monday with local schools handing out
ribbons and information about the dangers of drug abuse to students.

"Red Ribbon Week is a time to show gratitude to all those people who
remain drug free," said Undersheriff Dan Peak, who spoke at RV
Haderlein Elementary Monday afternoon. "It is a time for our children
to live a safe and drug-free life. It is also a time to remember those
who lost their lives in the fight against drugs."

The National Family Partnership sponsors the Red Ribbon Campaign,
which started after drug traffickers in Mexico City murdered Kiki
Camarena, a Drug Enforcement Administration agent, in 1985. The
tradition of wearing and displaying red ribbons is a symbol of
intolerance towards the use of drugs.

"You hear so much about drug use in the United States today, and a lot
of people tend to believe that everyone uses drugs," Peak said. "We
use this as a time to tell that kids that not everyone does, in fact,
the majority of the people in the United States don't use drugs. They
have choices and those choices can impact them now and for the rest of
their lives."

Dan Duling, Haderlein Elementary principal, said that is important to
reach children when they are young.

"We certainly think front-loading this information is a powerful way
getting kids thinking early on about making good choices," Duling
said. "We just want elementary kids to start thinking about the fact
that they are in control of themselves and they can make that choice."

Peak said the goal of the Red Ribbon campaign is to keep students
drug-free, adding Red Ribbon Week encompasses all drugs, including
alcohol.

"At this age and this time in their lives, no drug is good for them,"
Peak said. "Of course, no drug is good for anyone but they will have a
choice to make in the future. But right now we want them to focus on
the 'now' and to stay drug-free."

Peak said drugs remain an issue in Crawford County, including
methamphetamine, a major drug in the area. But Peak said drug use
affects many people, not just drug users.

"Right now the methamphetamine issue is at the forefront of most of
the drug problems because it not only effects us criminally, but our
society as a whole is impacted. It has impacted families, children,
countless user's lives. So, yeah, we have issues to deal with, not
only with methamphetamine, but other drugs as well."

Peak said most major crimes can be traced back to some sort of drug
use, or drug related issue.

Duling said this is another reason why Red Ribbon Week is important.
He said the week started off with a celebration to get them excited
about being drug-free.

"We wanted to start out week with a celebration," Duling said. "We
were encouraging our students to participate and cheer with our
cheerleaders, our dance team and of course Dan (Peak) Bringing the
police motorcycle with the sirens on ... we hope we got their
attention about making good choices."

Other schools in the area are also participating in Red Ribbon Week by
passing out ribbons and handing out educational material.