Schools
DEA Helicopter Visit Will Be Spectacular Finish for Oct. 22-29 Red Ribbon Week
The slate of events is full and interesting, but none more so than the helicopter fly-in planned for Oct. 29 at the Geneva Middle School campus.
As Keith Jackson might say, "Whoa, Nelly! It's going to be a ding dong dandy of finish" for this year's Red Ribbon Week, set for Oct. 22-29 in .
Red Ribbon Week is, of course, the nationwide event that mourns the 1985 death of Califormia Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena and encourages young people to live drug-free.
In Geneva, the weeklong series of activities is put together by the . This year's theme is "It's Up to Me to Be Drug-Free."
Find out what's happening in Genevawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
seniors and adult sponsors attended Monday's City Council meeting to receive the city's proclamation for the 2011 Red Ribbon Week. (Proclamation text is at the bottom of this story.)
During the meeting, Mayor Kevin Burns asked the students why they choose a drug-free lifestyle and whether they've felt peer pressure to do drugs.
Find out what's happening in Genevawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
"It's how my parents raised me. It just wasn't an option," one of the students said. "I've never been pressured into it, but I know others who have."
After a lot of effort to gain approval for air-traffic control and from a myriad government agenecies, the coalition is planning to land a Drug Enforcement Administration helicopter on the GMS campus as a grand finale to the week's events. Details on the helicopter landing are still to come.
Red Ribbon Week Co-Chair Julie Pouilly said the coalition is also hoping residents will take time that week to of unwanted or expired prescription drugs. There will be a candlelight vigil at to start the week, and the community will be decorated with red ribbons to commemorate the event.
The coalition will be giving out "stress cards," which measure stress by changing color when you press your thumb to a specific area.
"We wanted something that would stick with people," Pouilly said. "The idea is we would give them to students to begin to understand that what they're feeling is—we'll call it stress. And maybe that can help them think a little deeper about what is pushing them to drugs and alcohol."
Photos from the Monday-night meeting are attached to this story, and below is a schedule of Red Ribbon Week, courtesy of the Geneva Coalition for Youth, as well as the wording of the city's proclamation.
Thursdays in October: 10/6, 10/13, 10,20,10/27
Geneva School District hosts the popular workshop . This four-session workshop is free to parents in the Kane County area. Registration is required, please contact Chic Williams, Community Intervention Coordinator, at 630-463-3083.
Saturday
10/22 GHS SADD Club invites Geneva Students and the community to hang red ribbons in downtown Geneva to promote awareness to Geneva's commitment to Red Ribbon Week. Meet at 9 a.m. at Starbucks on State Street.
Make-a-Difference Day, the largest national day of helping others. Celebrate by reaching out to help others in our community. Sunday
10/23
Pray for the Children Candlelight Vigil: This event honors all children and youth of Geneva. Meet at 7 p.m. on the steps of Geneva City Hall on James Street.
Saturday - Sunday10/22 - 10/30
Prescription & OTC Drug Collection: Protect our youth, our community and our planet by bringing all unused and/or unwanted prescription and over-the-counter medication to the . Items should be place in the blue collection box in the lobby.
Monday
Geneva Park District celebrates Red Ribbon Week with Pizza Palooza from 6-7:30 p.m. Bring the family for this FREE pizza buffet and don't forget to wear RED! Space is limited, registration required 630-232-4542. Monday - Friday
10/24 - 10/28
Community Food Drive at and Geneva District 304 schools. This is a great way to build assets and support the less fortunate in our community. Friday & Saturday 10/28 & 10/29
The Geneva Park District is offering healthy choice Halloween events for teens from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and for kids 10 and under from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Saturday. Both events are at , registration is required. Saturday, 10/29
DEA Helicopter visit, Drug & Alcohol Awareness Fair: Details to come.
Saturday, 11/5
Join the SADD Club in taking down the red ribbons in downtown Geneva. Everyone to meet at 9 a.m. at Starbucks.
City of Geneva Proclamation
WHEREAS, it is imperative that visible, unified prevention education and asset building efforts by community members be launched to reduce the demand and availability for drugs; and
WHEREAS, The Illinois Drug Education Alliance, Governor’s Office, State of Illinois, Community Intervention Team, Geneva Coalition for Youth, S.A.D.D., and M.A.D.D. Illinois are sponsoring the Red Ribbon campaign offering citizens the opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to drug-free lifestyles, and promotion of the healthy development of all citizens, young, middle, and elderly; and
WHEREAS, business, government, law enforcement, schools, religious institutions, service organizations, youth, physicians, senior citizens, military, sports teams, and individuals will demonstrate their commitment to drug-free, healthy lifestyles by wearing and displaying Red Ribbons during this week- long campaign, and carry the spirit and message of this week into each day this year until our next Red Ribbon October 2012; and
WHEREAS, the City of Geneva further commits its resources to ensure the success of the Red Ribbon campaign throughout this year until Red Ribbon 2012.
NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved, the City of Geneva does hereby support October 22-30, 2011 as Red Ribbon Week, and encourages its citizens to participate in alcohol and other drug education and prevention activities, making a visible statement that we are strongly committed to a drug-free community.
