SAFE Sponsors Annual Red Ribbon Week at Glen Cove Schools

SAFE kicked off National Red Ribbon Week on October 21st within the Glen Cove School District. Red Ribbon Week is a national drug awareness campaign created in 1985 aimed at addressing the importance of substance abuse prevention. Given the Nation’s Opioid Epidemic, this week’s celebration of living healthy lifestyles is most significant.

SAFE Board of Directors and staff, SAFE Glen Cove Coalition volunteers, the Mayor’s office, the Glen Cove Police Department, School Administration and the Glen Cove Youth Bureau all showed their support by participating in Red Ribbon celebrations in the District’s elementary schools and Finley Middle School. Students embraced the theme of living a healthy, drug free lifestyle and created posters depicting their interpretation of living drug free using this year's National RRW slogan is “Send a Message. Stay Drug Free.”

The ongoing partnership with the Glen Cove School District allowed each elementary school to hold a special assembly to kick off Red Ribbon Week where students wore red ribbons and learned about the importance of living a healthy lifestyle and making informed positive choices. Glen Cove School District students enjoyed presentations by the Glen Cove Police Department, SAFE Coalition member’s Detective Ted Karousos and Sgt. Bifone.

The police spoke to the students from grades K-8 about the risks of using drugs and the important role that decision-making plays in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Students listened intently while the officers provided real-life stories from their extensive policing experience and students were given the opportunity to ask the officers questions about drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.

SAFE’s Coalition holds an art contest each year and the winners are announced at each of the Red Ribbon Week assembly's by SAFE Board members and staff, SAFE Executive Director and Mayor Tenke. The purpose of the art contest is to encourage children to commit to making good choices and to be aware of the dangers of drug and alcohol.

Winning posters will appear on display in the Children’s Room of the Glen Cove Public Library from mid November through December 1st. "Red Ribbon Week is an effective way to impart healthy choices to children through a celebration of wellness. It fosters communication between youth and adults about the dangers of substance abuse in a positive fashion" said SAFE Event Planner, Patti Averopoulos.

SAFE, Inc. is the only alcohol and substance abuse prevention, intervention and education agency in the City of Glen Cove. Its Coalition is conducting an opioid prevention awareness campaign entitled, "Keeping Glen Cove SAFE," in order to educate and update the community regarding opioid use and its consequences. To learn more about the SAFE Glen Cove Coalition please follow us on www.facebook.com/safeglencove or visit SAFE’s website to learn more about the Opioid Epidemic at www.safeglencove.org.