La Grange Bluebonnet Lions Club And Students Celebrate Red Ribbon Week

The La Grange Bluebonnet and La Grange Noon Lions Clubs and Leo club joined other Lions clubs throughout the nation to observe Red Ribbon Week Oct. 23-31. The annual event is celebrated in thousands of schools and communities all across the nation promoting drug awareness.

The annual Red Ribbon Campaign raises awareness and educates our youth on the hazards of drug and alcohol abuse. The La Grange Bluebonnet and La Grange Noon Lions Clubs provided red wristbands to the Sacred Heart Catholic School and La Grange Middle School children, teachers, and other school personnel.

Since its beginning in 1985, the Red Ribbon has touched the lives of millions of people around the world. In response to the murder of DEA agent Enrique Camarena, angered parents and youth in communities across the country began wearing Red Ribbons as a symbol of their commitment to raise awareness of the killing and destruction caused by drugs in America Enrique (Kiki) Camarena was a Drug Enforcement Administration Agent who was tortured and killed in Mexico in 1985. When he decided to join the US Drug Enforcement Administration, his mother tried to talk him out of it. “I’m only one person”, he told her, “but I want to make a difference.”

On Feb. 7, 1985, the 37-year old Camarena left his office to meet his wife for lunch. Five men appeared at the agent’s side and shoved him into a car. One month later, Camarena’s body was found. He had been tortured to death.

In honor of Camarena’s memory and his battle against illegal drugs, friends and neighbors began to wear red badges of satin. Parents, sick of the destruction caused by drugs and alcohol, had begun forming coalitions. Some of these new 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.

Lions Clubs International is the largest service club organization in the world. Its 1.4+ million members in 48,000 clubs in every corner of the globe are serving communities. Since 1917, Lions clubs have aided the blind and visually impaired, championed youth initiatives and strengthened local communities through hands-on service and humanitarian projects.

Learn more about Lions Clubs International at lionsclubs. org.