To The Editor: Red Ribbon Week #imakegoodchoices

Every year, Red Ribbon Week in Parker is marked in a pretty big way. It promotes and celebrates a drug-free community, and ends with Family Fun Day at Pop Harvey Park at the end of October. Below, a letter from Duce Minor, Director of PAACE, about this year’s events and how they went down.

“We are excited and proud to report another very successful Red Ribbon Week Campaign in La Paz County. Our theme this year was #imakegoodchoices. There were many activities during the week, including bringing the stunt riders from BMX Impact/Stuntmasters to Parker to perform their acrobatic bicycle show and share the message of living life drug free and making good choices for students at local schools. The week culminated with our annual Family Fun Day Celebration at Pop Harvey Park, with nearly 1,000 people in attendance.

We have so many people to thank… individuals, businesses, organizations and agencies all joined together to Celebrate Drug Free, Violence Free Youth in La Paz County.

Major supporters this year included Parker Area Alliance for Community Empowerment (PAACE), Walmart, Cenpatico, Regional Center For Border Health, La Paz County Education Service Agency, Arizona Western College, Parker Rotary Club, River Septic, Town of Parker, Parker Fire Department, First Things First, Dignity Memorial-Parker Funeral Home, Colorado River Indian Tribes, La Paz County Attorney’s Office, CRSS Joint Venture, La Paz Regional Hospital in Memory of Crystal Clark, CIA-Community Intervention Associates, Office of National Drug Control Policy, La Paz County Deputy’s Association, and schools throughout La Paz County.

The week-long campaign kicked off in Bouse with a Red Ribbon Parade and Barbecue. The Parker Area Chamber of Commerce headed up our Business Decorating Contest and awarded the grand prize, a $100 Gift Certificate for Pizza. Congratulations to the winner, La Paz County Sheriff’s Department. We appreciate all the businesses who showed their support by decorating. Soroptimist Club of Parker ‘painted the Parks Red,’ with red ribbons, and National Bank of Arizona showcased a display in their lobby to inform the community about PAACE and Red Ribbon Week.

A number of area businesses provided incentives to kids wearing their Red Ribbon Wristbands including: Parker Subway, Taco Bell, BlueWater Cinemas, Parker Elks Lodge, KFC, Burger King, Players 9th Street Youth Center, Chino Hay Market, Diaz Farms, Woody’s II, and CRIT Fire Department. On Wednesday, KLPZ sponsored “Stand-Up Against Drugs and Violence,” a countywide event to remind students and others why we commemorate Red Ribbon Week each year. Also during the week, schools around La Paz County decorated classroom doors.

As always the week culminated with our annual Family Fun Day. It was another overwhelming success! Thank you to the more than 70 individuals and businesses who sponsored our t-shirts by donating $25 or more. Thanks also to those who donated prizes for events throughout the week and for Family Fun Day including; David Plunkett Realty, Emerald Canyon Golf Course, Wallace Junior High Student Council, Cenpatico, CASA, Walmart, SMILE, Christ’s Church on the River, Arizona Western College, NAPA Auto Parts, and more. The Parker Lions Club and Parker Police Explorers supported Family Fun Day by spending the day barbecuing over 1100 hotdogs. Parker Fire Department sponsored all the hotdogs and buns. Others taking part in Family Fun Day included, Youth 4 Youth Club, La Paz County Career Center, CRIT Behavioral Health Services and ASAP sponsored an Inflatable Slide, Community Intervention Associates (CIA), Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS), La Paz County Sheriff’s Department, Parker Public Library, CRIT Library, Parker Police Department, La Paz County Public Health Education Prevention Program, Parker High School HOSA, Grace Assembly of God Church, Wallace Junior High and Wallace Elementary Student Councils, Wallace Choir, Arizona Counseling Treatment Services (ACTS), Arizona Public Service, Arizona Western College, La Paz County 4-H Council, River Medical Ambulance, National Bank of Arizona, CASA, Blake/Wallace PTA, Indian Health Services, Special Olympics, National Junior Honor Society, Regional Center For Border Health, Benefits of Work, and the Parker Pioneer.

No doubt, we could fill an entire page with thank-yous! Short of that, we simply want to express again our sincere appreciation to each and every business, organization and individual who found some way to support the 2014 Red Ribbon Week Campaign and celebrate drug free, violence free youth in La Paz County. Please remember, it is important to let the youth in our community know every day that we support them and encourage them to be happy and successful by living their lives drug free, and violence free. Together, we are making good choices!

Sincerely,
Duce Minor”