Oct. 21, 2007 — Red Ribbon Week, an annual event geared to promoting drug-free communities, kicks off Monday with numerous events across the territory.
Red Ribbon Week started nationally in 1985 as a tribute to Drug Enforcement Agency Special Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena, who was killed while working undercover on a drug cartel investigation.
The national Red Ribbon Week is sponsored and promoted by the DEA, and during the week people promise to be drug-free and help their communities be drug-free as well.
"If we reach one person and keep them drug free, that is good," says Naita Salmon-Iles, health services supervisor at The University of the Virgin Islands, St. Croix.
"Our message is "Each one must reach one and teach one," Salmon-Iles said.
UVI will observe Red Ribbon Week from Oct. 22 to Oct. 26 with activities on the St. Thomas and St. Croix campuses. This year’s theme is "United We Stand for a Drug Free Land ."
Both the St. Thomas and St. Croix UVI campuses will host activities such as a drug-free pledge day, open mic and campus decorating competitions and more.
"We really want to bring about the awareness of substance abuse and bring about a change in behavior." said Doris Battiste, associate campus administrator of student affairs on St. Thomas.
The Office of Student Affairs on the St. Thomas campus, and the Health Services Department and the Residence Hall on the St. Croix campus are sponsoring the events.
Activities on UVI's St. Thomas campus include:
Oct. 22 – Pledge Day 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Make a pledge to be drug free and collect a red ribbon token at the UVI Dining Pavilion and Student Lounge in the Sports and Fitness Center.
Oct. 23 – Decoration Day Contest – Offices and/or organizations will be decorating areas on campus to be judged. Judging will take place anytime after 10 a.m. A trophy and a prize will be given to the winner.
Oct. 24 – Walk and Speak Out – Walk against Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention – Walk starts at the Sports and Fitness Center at 5:30 p.m. and will end on the Golf Course where there will be a vigil and open mic on substance abuse and crime prevention.
The first 50 walk participants will receive a free pedometer. First place in the open mic will win $300 and second place will receive $150.
Oct. 25 – Free HIV/AIDS testing from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Health Services Office.
Oct. 26 – Wear Red Day – Competition for the "most original red outfit" at the Dining Pavilion from noon to 1:30 p.m. There will be music, prizes and more. The entire university community is encouraged to wear red – red socks, red hats, red shirts etc. Judging will take place at 1 p.m. in the Dining Pavilion. The top prize is a round-trip ticket on Seaborne Airlines.
Activities on UVI's St. Croix campus include:
Oct. 22 – Candlelight march begins 6 p.m. at the Palm Drive entrance of the UVI campus. Participants should gather at 5:45 p.m. The march will end at the Cafetorium where there will be information tables and presentations by the Unity Coalition, Customs and Border Protection K-9 Unit, Department of Health: STI/HIV/TB and Substance Abuse Prevention, V.I. National Guard Counter Drug Task Force Drug Demand Reduction Program.
Participants will also be able to complete pledge cards (on bulletin board outside of Student Activities Center) and make a pledge to be drug free. Pledge cards will be available throughout the week.
Oct. 23 – Blood Drive, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in front of the Student Activities Center.
–HIV Testing, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Health Services Center on the first floor of the Great House.
–Intramural Basketball Game, 9:15 to 11 p.m. at the UVI court.
Oct. 24 – Wear Red Day, the entire university community is encouraged to wear red. The Dance/Spirit Squad will perform from noon to 12:15 p.m. in the Cafetorium as a warm up to the Jeopardy Game that begins at 12:15 and runs through 12:50 p.m.
–Blood Drive in front of the Student Activities Center 3 to 6 p.m.
Oct. 26 – Door Decorating Contest, Offices and/or organizations will be decorating areas on campus to be judged. Prizes will be awarded on Oct. 30.
For more information about the Red Ribbon Week activities on the St. Thomas campus or to sign up to participate in the various contests, contact Carolyn Wattley at 693-1120 or cwattle@uvi.edu.
For more information about the Red Ribbon Week activities on the St. Croix campus contact Naita Salmon-Iles at 692-4214 or nsalmon@uvi.edu.
On St Croix, the V.I. Village Partners in Recovery and St. Croix Unity Coalition will hold events beginning Oct. 23 with a U.S. Post Office Pledge Day to stay drug-free at the post offices in Kingshill and Sunny Isle from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Richmond and Gallows Bay Post Offices will have Pledge Day Oct. 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
There will be an open house at the Department of Health with information available from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 25.
One of the main events for the week will be the Village-VI Partners in Recovery carnival and haunted house at Sunshine Mall in Frederiksted on Oct. 27 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
There will be old-fashioned games, prizes, food and entertainment. The first 300 youths to sign a pledge to be drug-free will get a gift bag filled with goodies.
Also on Oct. 27 the St. Croix Seventh Day Adventist Church will hold its fourth annual anti-drug rally at Whim Ball Park beginning at 10 a.m.
"Bowling Against Drugs" at Tropical Ten Pins is at Castle Coakley on Oct. 31 from 6 to 10 p.m. and will wrap up Red Ribbon Week.
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