AMERICUS — The Americus and Sumter County Red Ribbon Campaign committee is making plans to celebrate Georgia Red Ribbon Week, Oct. 23-31. The 2017 National Red Ribbon Week theme is: Your Future Is Key, So Stay Drug Free™.  The theme was created by Iris Yu, a student at Solon Middle School in Solon, Ohio. Each year in Americus and Sumter County, the Red Ribbon week committee, with Janice Harris as chair, along with law enforcement, school counselors and businesses, organizes activities for the week. Red Ribbon Week focuses on educating students about healthy choices, especially the choice to avoid drugs.
Red Ribbon week kicked off Friday, Oct. 20 when representatives from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office and Crisp County Sheriff’s Office met at the county line to tie red bows on the sign leading into each county. At 9 a.m. Monday, Oct. 23, members of local criminal justice agencies will meet at the Sumter County Courthouse for a group photo. The group will then travel over to South Georgia Technical College and kick off Red Ribbon Week with faculty and staff at 10 a.m. On Oct. 27, Head Start will have its Drug Free Parade, wearing all red on their Wear Red Day. All schools will have a host of activities throughout the week honoring Red Ribbon Week.
The Red Ribbon symbolizes a commitment to drug-free living. The campaign sponsors events to raise awareness and to show law enforcement’s commitment to reducing the demand for drugs. The national Red Ribbon Campaign is held each year the last week of October. It began in 1985, to honor a federal drug enforcement agent who was killed in the line of duty. Georgia has participated since 1987, and all 159 counties take part. For more information on the National Red Ribbon Campaign, visit http://redribbon.org/