Pubdate: Fri, 08 Oct 2004
Source: Royal Gazette, The (Bermuda)
Copyright: 2004 The Royal Gazette Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.theroyalgazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2103
Author: Heather Wood

PRIDE'S RED RIBBON CAMPAIGN GETS THE MESSAGE OUT

Unite For A Drug-Free Bermuda

A RED ribbon campaign launched earlier this week, hopes to see
residents combine their efforts to make Bermuda a drug-free community.

On Tuesday, the Parents Resource Institute for Drug Education (PRIDE)
kicked off its Red Ribbon celebration -- a series of events designed
to highlight success in drug prevention -- with the theme, "Unite for
a Drug-Free Bermuda".

According to event/parent co-ordinator, Kenlyn Butterfield, the
celebration has been held during the same period for the last seven
years.

"Drug and alcohol abuse in Bermuda create staggering societal costs
and prevent people from reaching their full potential at school, on
the job, and in our community," she explained. "To improve the
well-being of our country and to protect our people, we must continue
to make the prevention of drug and alcohol abuse a national priority.
The gateway drugs are alcohol, tobacco and marijuana -- those are what
children will try first, so those are the drugs we target.

"The message we're trying to get across is that Red Ribbon Week should
be a time of gratitude for all that live and remain drug free. It's a
time to pledge to live a safe, drug-free life; a time to remember
those we have lost in the fight against drugs.

"So it's a celebration time where we all come together as one. We
can't help those adults who are already on drugs, we try and focus on
the youth so that when they get older they can make wise choices. And
then we bring their parents in to help them on their journey."

The idea behind the Red Ribbon celebration stemmed, in part, from a
campaign already in place in the United States. According to Ms
Butterfield, the Nationwide Red Ribbon Campaign, organised by the
National Family Partnership, began as a means of honouring Enrique
(Kiki) Camarena, a Drug Enforcement Officer who was kidnapped,
tortured and murdered while working undercover in Mexico.

"In honour of Camarena's memory and his battle against illegal drugs,
friends and neighbours began to wear red badges of satin. Parents,
sick of the destruction caused by alcohol and other drugs, had begun
forming coalitions. Some of these coalitions took Camarena as their
model and embraced his belief that one person can make a difference.
These coalitions also adopted the symbol of Camarena's memory, the red
ribbon.

"In July 1998, PRIDE staff and board members met to discuss the
possibility of organising a week of activities to celebrate drug
prevention. The idea (was to bring) together the Bermuda community to
celebrate prevention (and) PRIDE Bermuda's Red Ribbon celebration was
born. This year's theme, "Unite for a Drug Free Bermuda", focuses on
bringing the community together for seven powerful events targeted at
educating and empowering youth and adults to live drug free.

"Each ribbon worn during the campaign has the potential to reach a
boy, a girl, a caring adult or family in a profound way. The red
ribbon is a catalyst and symbol for millions of people who show that
ribbon-by-ribbon, neighbour-by-neighbour, they are united for
drug-free youth."

PRIDE Bermuda began in 1986, the result of a successful visit paid by
parents to a PRIDE conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Sponsored by the
Council on Alcohol & Drug Abuse (CADA), the visit led four of those in
attendance -- Wendy Lambert, Judith Burgess, Vaughn Harvey and Diana
Corday -- to establish a similar organisation here.

"Over the past 18 years, PRIDE Bermuda has grown steadily in size and
effectiveness," stated Ms Butterfield. "With programmes aimed at
reaching both adults and youth, PRIDE Bermuda is educating, empowering
and inspiring the community to take an active role in the prevention
of drug abuse.

"PRIDE advocates a community approach to drug prevention. No
institution can solve the drug problem alone -- businesses can't,
government can't, schools can't, parents can't, but together, we can."

Run by a board, staffed by seven dedicated employees, the charity
liaises with like organisations on a regular basis to meet its
objectives. As well, residents are encouraged to become members of
PRIDE -- with individual programmes established to meet the needs of
different age groups.

"We have PRIDE Pals, which is at the primary school level. We have
Club PRIDE, which involves children in middle school and then we have
PRIDE Youth to Youth, which deals with children at the high school
level. We also have our adult programmes -- Parent to Parent and
Parent Connection," Ms Butterfield said. "Because we deal in
prevention, we can't work with the child and not work with the parent.
The two have to come together."

MS Butterfield joined PRIDE three years ago, on September 11, 2001. In
that short period, she says she has noticed the dramatic change that
children undergo once they have been involved with the programme.

"We have 18 primary schools on board. We have all the middle schools.
We have both the public high schools. Bermuda Institute is coming on
board. Saltus has been on board with a middle school programme and a
primary school programme for quite a few years.

"We have Warwick Academy students who are involved, (the Bermuda High
School for Girls) gets our material. We also have a few children from
Mount Saint Agnes. We're trying to get it out there as best we can.
Many children will say they're not going to use drugs. They reach
adolescence, they're confronted, they have more pressure. We want to
have the necessary tools installed in them before that, so they are
able to say no to drugs.

"I've already seen change. I've noticed how the young ones now tell
their parents: 'You shouldn't drink that' or, 'You shouldn't smoke
that. It's not good for you'. And then they'll tell them some of the
reasons why they're not good. There is a saying, 'A child will lead'?

We've seen it happen. Adults will often listen to a child before they
listen to other adults. So we bring them together. It works for us as
well because when the children finish PRIDE, after they're adults,
many come back and help out."

Despite the challenges children face as part of growing up, Ms
Butterfield said the group has helped many of them to triumph.

"We do have some success stories. As part of our programme, the
children explain why they are not involved in drugs. I remember one
child saying how someone in her family had died from drugs. But she
said that it was because of PRIDE that she had chosen not to use drugs
and that she appreciates the information she received from us.

"But there are many challenges. Once children reach adolescence some
of their friends may go through a stage; certain things may come up.
It could be their parents or someone close to them.

"Many times there are drugs right in the home. With the type of
material we give, they learn that (drugs) are not good and the reasons
why. It becomes their choice but as long as they have the tools, they
know to say no."

PRIDE will officially begin its Red Ribbon celebration on Monday, with
a proclamation on the steps of City Hall between 12.15 p.m. and 1.15
p.m. Tuesday will see kids provide a community service, cleaning their
immediate environment by ridding the area around their school of
litter. On Wednesday, residents are asked to don red in
acknowledgement of PRIDE's efforts and their willingness to see a
drug-free Bermuda.

A school rally is planned for Victoria Park next Thursday between 3.30
p.m. and 5.30 p.m. On Friday, a candlelight walk will leave from the
Cabinet Office on Front Street at 6.30 p.m. Events conclude a week
today, when residents are encouraged to participate in a "Pray for the
Children" weekend. The event will see religious groups around the
world raise their hands in prayer that children remain safe and drug
free.

For more information on PRIDE and the Red Ribbon celebration, contact
the charity.
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MAP posted-by: Derek