Rotary and Schools Collaborate to Host Red Ribbon Awareness Week

 

 

 

 

BIDDEFORD, SACO, OOB, Maine – April 4, 2017 – Every $1 spent on the prevention of drug misuse saves $7 in treatment. To steer our community toward healthy behaviors, the Biddeford Saco Rotary Club’s Red Ribbon Committee is focusing its efforts on preventing young people from slipping into the devastating grip of drug misuse and addiction. Working in conjunction with school educators from Biddeford, Old Orchard Beach, Saco and Thornton Academy the Rotary’s Red Ribbon Committee is hosting multiple events during their second annual Red Ribbon Awareness Week, April 24-28, with a community-wide presentation on April 27 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Thornton Academy’s Garland Auditorium. All members of the community are welcome. The event is free and will be livestreamed at www.livestream.com/tatvsac.

 

“Our goal is to serve as a catalyst to mobilize communities, educate youth and encourage participation in drug prevention activities” stated Red Ribbon Committee Co-Chair and Rotarian Jim Godbout.  “We all recognize drug misuse is at epidemic proportions in our country. It costs our country billions of dollars each year through tax dollars, so we are all affected directly or indirectly. I applaud the schools for working collaboratively together and with our Rotary Club, and I invite everyone to join us in a culture of change from acceptance of drug misuse in its many forms to all community members living lives of health, wellbeing, and joy.”

 

The tri-community presentation on April 27 encourages individuals and families to reflect upon current trends in drug use and what the community can do to promote healthy behaviors without the influences of illegal drugs or other misused substances. A series of speakers will address the trends in drug use and local effects, including: Bronwyn Barnett and the students in the Toastmasters Club from the Community Bicycle Center will speak about making healthy choices; Bill Paterson of Coastal Healthy Communities Coalition’s Project Alliance will speak on “”Marijuana and the Adolescent Brain”; Ryan Esbjerg of Flex Your Face University will speak on their unending goal to ignite people's lives through the celebration of small moments in their day; and the top three student t-shirt design winners will be presented with their cash prize awards.

 

In addition to the community-wide presentation, each high school has also planned activities for their students throughout the week of April 24 including all students receiving a free Red Ribbon t-shirt thanks to the following sponsors: Biddeford Savings, Saco & Biddeford Savings Institution, P&C Insurance, Maine Magazine, and Coastal Healthy Communities Coalition’s Project Alliance through the University of New England. The Rotary Club held a t-shirt design contest and An Ho ’18 from Thornton Academy will have her design placed on the front of all the shirts.