Eagle Student-Athletes Participate in Red Ribbon Week
10/29/2014 4:07:00 PM | General, Athletic Foundation
STATESBORO, Ga. – Georgia Southern student-athletes, department of athletics administrators and GUS ate lunch with students at William James Middle School in Statesboro Wednesday as a part of Red Ribbon Week, a national celebration which mobilizes communities to educate youth and encourage participation in drug prevention activities.
Eagle student-athletes were at the school from 11 a.m.-12:20 p.m. eating lunch and interacting with sixth, seventh and eighth-grade students in the school cafeteria. Students handed out candy and thank-you cards to several Eagle student-athletes after their lunchtime to show their appreciation.
The theme of this year's Red Ribbon Week at William James is "Love Yourself, Be Drug Free," according to Felecia Prince, who helped organize the event with Georgia Southern athletics.
"During Red Ribbon Week, the school has many door decorations and different theme days throughout the week," said Prince. "We had Hat Day, Team-Spirit Day, Country-Western Day, Best Dressed Day, Treat Day – all to spread the spirit of Red Ribbon Week."
About the Red Ribbon Campaign
The National Family Partnership (NFP) organized the first Nationwide Red Ribbon Campaign. NFP provides drug awareness by sponsoring the annual National Red Ribbon Celebration. Since its beginning in 1985, the Red Ribbon has touched the lives of millions of people around the world. In response to the murder of DEA Agent Enrique Camarena, angered parents and youth in communities across the country began wearing Red Ribbons as a symbol of their commitment to raise awareness of the killing and destruction cause by drugs in America.
Enrique (Kiki) Camarena was a Drug Enforcement Administration Agent who was tortured and killed in Mexico in 1985. When he decided to join the US Drug Enforcement Administration, his mother tried to talk him out of it. "I'm only one person", he told her, "but I want to make a difference."
On Feb. 7, 1985, the 37-year-old Camarena left his office to meet his wife for lunch. Five men appeared at the agent's side and shoved him in a car. One month later, Camarena's body was found. He had been tortured to death.
In honor of Camarena's memory and his battle against illegal drugs, friends and neighbors began to wear red badges of satin. Parents, sick of the destruction of alcohol and other drugs, had begun forming coalitions. Some of these new coalitions took Camarena as their model and embraced his belief that one person can make a difference. These coalitions also adopted the symbol of Camarena's memory, the red ribbon.
In 1988, NFP sponsored the first National Red Ribbon Celebration. Today, the Red Ribbon serves as a catalyst to mobilize communities to educate youth and encourage participation in drug prevention activities. Since that time, the campaign has reached millions of U.S. children and families. The National Family Partnership (NFP) and its network of individuals and organizations continue to deliver his message of hope to millions of people every year, through the National Red Ribbon Campaign.
Georgia Southern Athletics provides up-to-date information on all its sports through its official website, GSEagles.com, through social media channels facebook.com/GSAthletics, twitter.com/GSAthletics, iOS app Georgia Southern Eagles and Android app Eagles GATA. Fans can purchase tickets to Georgia Southern Athletics events by calling 1-800-GSU-WINS or by visiting GSEagles.com.
Eagle student-athletes were at the school from 11 a.m.-12:20 p.m. eating lunch and interacting with sixth, seventh and eighth-grade students in the school cafeteria. Students handed out candy and thank-you cards to several Eagle student-athletes after their lunchtime to show their appreciation.
The theme of this year's Red Ribbon Week at William James is "Love Yourself, Be Drug Free," according to Felecia Prince, who helped organize the event with Georgia Southern athletics.
"During Red Ribbon Week, the school has many door decorations and different theme days throughout the week," said Prince. "We had Hat Day, Team-Spirit Day, Country-Western Day, Best Dressed Day, Treat Day – all to spread the spirit of Red Ribbon Week."
About the Red Ribbon Campaign
The National Family Partnership (NFP) organized the first Nationwide Red Ribbon Campaign. NFP provides drug awareness by sponsoring the annual National Red Ribbon Celebration. Since its beginning in 1985, the Red Ribbon has touched the lives of millions of people around the world. In response to the murder of DEA Agent Enrique Camarena, angered parents and youth in communities across the country began wearing Red Ribbons as a symbol of their commitment to raise awareness of the killing and destruction cause by drugs in America.
Enrique (Kiki) Camarena was a Drug Enforcement Administration Agent who was tortured and killed in Mexico in 1985. When he decided to join the US Drug Enforcement Administration, his mother tried to talk him out of it. "I'm only one person", he told her, "but I want to make a difference."
On Feb. 7, 1985, the 37-year-old Camarena left his office to meet his wife for lunch. Five men appeared at the agent's side and shoved him in a car. One month later, Camarena's body was found. He had been tortured to death.
In honor of Camarena's memory and his battle against illegal drugs, friends and neighbors began to wear red badges of satin. Parents, sick of the destruction of alcohol and other drugs, had begun forming coalitions. Some of these new coalitions took Camarena as their model and embraced his belief that one person can make a difference. These coalitions also adopted the symbol of Camarena's memory, the red ribbon.
In 1988, NFP sponsored the first National Red Ribbon Celebration. Today, the Red Ribbon serves as a catalyst to mobilize communities to educate youth and encourage participation in drug prevention activities. Since that time, the campaign has reached millions of U.S. children and families. The National Family Partnership (NFP) and its network of individuals and organizations continue to deliver his message of hope to millions of people every year, through the National Red Ribbon Campaign.
Georgia Southern Athletics provides up-to-date information on all its sports through its official website, GSEagles.com, through social media channels facebook.com/GSAthletics, twitter.com/GSAthletics, iOS app Georgia Southern Eagles and Android app Eagles GATA. Fans can purchase tickets to Georgia Southern Athletics events by calling 1-800-GSU-WINS or by visiting GSEagles.com.
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