Oct. 22, 2007 — A small but enthusiastic group of St. Croix UVI students and St. Croix Unity Coalition volunteers marched from the university kiosk to the cafetorium Monday evening on St. Croix, part of a rally commemorating Red Ribbon Week.
"Don’t be a fool! Say no to drugs!" they chanted through red plastic megaphones, holding up small lights as they walked down the campus’ palm-lined drive just after sunset. Most wore red St. Croix Unity Coalition T-shirts.
National Red Ribbon Week, an annual event geared to promoting drug-free communities, kicks off Monday with numerous events across the territory.
Red Ribbon Week began in 1985 as a tribute to Special Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena of the Drug Enforcement Agency, who was murdered by drug traffickers in Mexico City. Sponsored by the DEA, participants encourage people to display red ribbons as a symbol of intolerance toward drug use and work to promote drug-free communities.
Inside the cafetorium after the march, people from the Health Department, the St. Croix Unity Coalition, U.S. Customs and members of the V.I. National Guard Counter-Drug Task Force manned tables. They were piled high with literature about addiction and the effects of drugs like cocaine and marijuana, as well as giveaway items like pens, cups, water bottles and change purses. As students walked up to peruse the literature, ask questions and maybe get a free trinket, the Unity Coalition volunteers asked them if they would like to sign a pledge swearing to stay drug free. Before the event ended, they had several pages of signatures. There will be more pledge signings across St. Croix over the week.
Naita Iles, health services supervisor at UVI on St. Croix, said a large coalition of sponsors put the program on every year, trying to spread awareness about the dangers of substance abuse and addition.
"As an institute of higher learning, we are not only responsible for educating students in their area of study, but also to educate then on social and community issues," Iles said. "We attempt to bring some social consciousness to the community at large."
Sgt. Aretha Ventura of the VING Counter-Drug Task Force talked about the effects of inebriation on motor skills and how that leads to accidents, injuries and deaths. To illustrate the point, she had student volunteers try on vision-distorting goggles and attempt to walk through a cone-lined course without knocking one over.
"That could be an accident, injuring someone," Ventura said when a volunteer knocked over a cone.
Adrian Edwards, an outreach officer with the Health Department, spoke of the link between injected drugs and contracting HIV/AIDS. Edwards encouraged students to come and get tested for HIV.
Students and anyone else can get tested for free from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday in the Health Services Center on the first floor of the St. Croix campus’ Great House.
"Making Positive Choices" is the declared theme of this Red Ribbon Week on St. Croix.
"We focus on positive choices and positive consequences," Ventura said. "Everyone hears about bad choices and negative consequences. We want to focus on making positive life choices and help youth realize their consequences, good or bad, come out of their choices."
For a complete schedule of the week's activities, see "Anti-Drug Red Ribbon Week Kicks Off Monday."
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