National Red Ribbon Week, Promising to Be Drug Free

With Halloween around the corner, National Red Ribbon Week comes at a good time to remind children about the difference between candy and medicine.

"I believe Red Ribbon Week is one of the most important events. It talks about being drug free," said Mihaela Fodor, of Avon Youth Services, who organized a drug prevention day at  in honor of the drug prevention campaign, the oldest one in the nation. "Prevention programs have to start young. Once you hear the message over and over, it sticks."

Officer Todd Akerley, one of the D.A.R.E. program organizers, told Roaring Brook students that their parents should check their Halloween candy before they eat it. On a larger scale, the same applies for taking medicine.

In a role playing demonstration, Avon Police Officer Lisa Petkis pretended to offer Akerley something to eat that looked like candy. Akerley turned her down. He said that children should not ingest anything unknown or consume medicine without a parent's or trusted family member's permission.

The purpose of the program was to "make kids aware of the dangers of tobacco, alcohol and other drug abuse," he said.

It will "make you think twice about your choices in life so all of your dreams can come true, so all of your dreams can come true," Fodor said. "Choose to be drug free. Choose to do the best in your life to have the best in your life."