Red Ribbon Week Starts Today

According to National Family Partnership, children of parents who talk to their teens about drugs are 42 percent less likely to use drugs than those who don’t, yet only a quarter of teens report having these conversations. Today kicks off the start of Red Ribbon Week, a campaign that aims to educate youth about the dangers of drug, alcohol and tobacco use and to promote prevention.

From October 23rd through the 31st, educators, parents and citizens are encouraged to look at the ways they can help stomp out drug and alcohol abuse in our communities. Since it’s inception in the 1980s, the Red Ribbon program has helped educate millions around the world. Continue reading

Racing for Recovery Founder and President to Speak at LifePlex

Todd Crandell
Todd Crandell

Addict turned triathlete Todd Crandall will share his story of overcoming a 13-year addiction to drugs and alcohol with the community during a program tonight at LifePlex in Plymouth. Crandall is the founder and president of Racing for Recovery. It’s a nonprofit organization that strives to save lives and improve the quality of life for addicts and their friends and family by promoting a lifestyle of health, fitness and sobriety. Crandall first tried alcohol at age 13 to cope with the depression and confusion of his mother’s suicide 10 years earlier due to her struggles with addiction. For the next 13 years Crandall says he tried every type of drug he could get his hands on before making the decision to quit.

“By the grace of God – that sounds so cliché, but it’s true – and I wasn’t raised in a religious upbringing, but I do believe that God, and I’m going to say my Mom, had something in there that told me on April 15th of 1993, after getting my third drunk driving charge, that’s it. I wanted something better, and that was all it took was that notion in my head that I wanted something better. Then I put the work into rebuilding my life,” Crandall said. Continue reading

Recovering Addict Shares Story With Local Students

Todd Crandell
Todd Crandell

With sobriety, anything is possible. That’s the message addict turned triathlete Todd Crandell is sharing with students in Starke and Marshall Counties during Red Ribbon Week. He first tried alcohol when he was 13. Crandall says his life was” normal on the outside” but he was pretty emotionally distraught due to his Mom’s suicide 10 years earlier due to her struggles with addiction.

“I had a giant void that I was looking for something to fill it with, and unfortunately trying alcohol at age 13 was the catalyst for the next 13 years of destruction,” Crandall said.

He says he used “anything I could get my hands on” to try to numb the pain. Continue reading

Knox Middle School Celebrates Red Ribbon Week

Red Ribbon WeekThis is Red Ribbon Week and the Knox Middle School students will be busy with activities to show that they are drug free.

Today, students will be signing a banner and pledging to be drug and tobacco free. Students and staff will receive a red ribbon to wear and show support of a drug and tobacco free lifestyle.

 On Tuesday, students will plant red tulips at the middle school for National Plant the Promise Week. When the tulips bloom in the spring, it will serve as a reminder to stay drug free.

 Motivational speaker, David Parnell, will speak to the students and staff Wednesday afternoon to about his struggle with drug abuse and his attempt at suicide in which he shot himself in the face. It has required 30 surgeries to repair the damage, but he remains drug free and travels the country to tell everyone of his past troubles to encourage the public to stay drug free.

Starke County Students to Plant Tulips for National Plant the Promise Week

  
 
Red Ribbon Week is next week and students in the three Starke County school corporations will be planting tulip bulbs in recognition of National Plant the Promise Week.

This unique observation during Red Ribbon Week helps reinforce the message to say no to drugs. The 200-300 bulbs provided will be planted near each school building. The red tulips will bloom in the spring and will be a reminder to stay drug free.

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Red Ribbon Week Brings International Drug Abuse Prevention Speaker

David Parnell
David Parnell

An internationally known speaker with a checkered past will soon be visiting the area to spread his message about the dangers of methamphetamine. David Parnell is not only an author, husband and father of seven who hails from Tennessee, but he is also a methamphetamine and suicide survivor, recovering addict and alcoholic, former drug dealer and convicted felon, who has since devoted his life to educating others about the horrific effects methamphetamine can have on one’s life.

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