Neuhaus, Hoovler, and DuBois Help Kick Off Red Ribbon Week

GOSHEN – Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus, District Attorney David Hoovler and Sheriff Carl E. DuBois joined the Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Council of Orange County on Monday for the 31st annual kickoff ceremony of Red Ribbon Week at Port Jervis High School.
Chester, S.S. Seward, Valley Central, Port Jervis, Warwick, Pine Bush, James I. O’Neill, Minisink Valley and Goshen High Schools all participated in the event.

“It is increasingly imperative that we combat drugs in our schools and our communities,” Neuhaus said. “The lives of far too many of our families and friends are being impacted by drugs. We need to use every tool we possibly can and prevention and awareness are important first steps. I appreciate all of the efforts of ADAC to educate and inform our community on this critical issue. Port Jervis High did a wonderful job hosting this event.”

Red Ribbon Week is a national drug abuse awareness campaign that was created to memorialize the life of Enrique “Kiki” Camarena. Camarena was kidnapped and killed by drug traffickers in Mexico in 1985. Since then, communities across America have celebrated his life with special events and by wearing red ribbons from Oct. 23-31. The Red Ribbon Campaign is the oldest and largest drug prevention program in the nation reaching millions of young people during Red Ribbon Week, the third week of October each year.

“Unfortunately, drugs and violence often go hand-in-hand,” Hoovler said. “As a society, we need to recognize and address both of these important issues. I fully support the efforts of the organizers of Red Ribbon Week as they work to educate students about the dangers of drugs.”

This year’s Red Ribbon Week theme is “YOLO (You Only Live Once). Be Drug Free.” According to the National Family Partnership which sponsors Red Ribbon Week, children of parents who talk to their teens regularly about drugs are 42 percent less likely to use drugs than those who don’t, but only a quarter of teens report having these conversations. ADAC, an Orange County government partner, is dedicated to the public health issue of alcohol and other drug addictions, providing residents with programs and services to address substance abuse and addiction as a health condition which affects the individual, family and the community.

If you or someone you care about is experiencing drug addiction, you can call ADAC’s confidential hotline at 294-9000.