Fort Gordon celebrates Red Ribbon Week

During the last week in October, schools, businesses, military installations and individuals from across the nation united in the celebration of Red Ribbon Week. The goal: to promote awareness and prevention of substance abuse.

This is the biggest alcohol and drug abuse prevention event of the year,” said Mike Reed, Fort Gordon’s employee assistance program/prevention coordinator. “Here on post, we spent the week addressing the problems inherent with substance abuse and educating people on how they can avoid addiction or deal with it if it has already become a problem.”

To help promote the event, Reed spent the week at various high-traffic locations on post, including the PX, the commissary and outside the front of Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center. He took time to speak to people and passed out brochures and

red ribbons, encouraging visitors to wear them in support of the event.

Photo by Siobhan Carlile Mike Reed, Fort Gordon’s employee assistance program/prevention coordinator (left) shows the various information he has available to Kate Kluna, Public Information Office. Reed had a booth set up at Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center Oct. 30 as part of Fort Gordon’s Red Ribbon Week activities. “There’s this idea of alcoholics and addicts as being bums, but that couldn’t be further further from the truth,” he explained.

“They walk among us. Usually, they are us. They’re our neighbors, friends and family. It can happen to anyone but everyone thinks it will happen to someone else. Most people think they’re not susceptible but anyone can develop a problem.”

In addition to his travels around post, Reed also kicked off the week by speaking at Freedom Park Elementary School. The students there participated with a week of events including a picture/poster contest and a door decorating contest.

Red Ribbon Week began in 1988, organized by the National Family Partnership in conjunction with President Ronald Reagan and his wife, Nancy. It was coordinated in honor of Drug Enforcement Agency Special Agent Enrique Camarena, who was kidnapped, tortured and murdered by a drug cartel in 1985. By wearing red ribbons and joining in community anti-drug events, participants pledge to live a drug-free life and pay tribute to Camarena’s sacrifice. Currently, the NFP estimates that more than 80 million people participate in Red Ribbon events each year.

For more information about Red Ribbon Week visit www.nfp.org. If you or someone you know may be suffering from substance abuse or addiction, or for more information about treatment options available on post, contact Mike Reed at (706) 791-5797.