Foundation Helps Kick Off Red Ribbon Week in Ocala

OCALA, Fla. - Oct. 29, 2013 - PRLog -- Ocala, FL: For the third year in a row, the Director of Drug Free World Florida, Julieta Santagostino and her husband Riccardo, participated in Ocala’s Red Ribbon Kick off.  Distributing more than 200 “Truth About Drugs” booklets, the Santagostinos had people lining up to sign the pledge to live a drug-free life. 200 people in total signed the pledge.

         This was just one of the activities at Ocala’s Red Ribbon Kick Off Week event, which also included music by RNA Studios and Carlos “Los 1” Ramirez. The event was sponsored by the Ocala Police Department, Marion County Children’s Alliance, Kids Central and the Ocala Community Council Against Substance Abuse.

         Red Ribbon Week is celebrated nationally during the week of October 23rd -31^st. Red Ribbon Week began after the kidnapping, torture and murder of DEA agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena in 1985. Camarena’s death, citizens in Camarena's hometown of Calexico, California donned red ribbons in his honor. The red ribbon became their symbol for prevention in order to reduce the demand of illegal drugs.

         Red Ribbon week is also an opportunity to educate young people about the dangers of these substances. According to the DEA, approximately 80 million people participate in Red Ribbon events every year

         The Foundation distributes 12 booklets which cover the effects of the most commonly abused substances, and an additional booklet which is an overview.

         “These booklets get young people’s attention and this event is a great venue to get the word out. We like working alongside local officials and other community groups here in Ocala to continue bringing this program to the community,” said Mrs. Santagostino.

         These secular booklets, developed by the Church of Scientology in conjunction with medical experts in the field, are distributed by the Foundation for a Drug Free World. The program is now used by more than 1,200 organizations in 188 countries.

         “You may have noticed that society is rapidly going downhill,” wrote Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard. “Inflation, lack of fuel and even war cast deep shadows over the world. And the more serious part of that is that drugs, both medical and street drugs, have disabled a majority of those who could have handled it, including political leaders, and have even paralyzed the coming generations.”

         Hubbard’s research in this field galvanized Scientologists to support initiatives such as the Foundation for a Drug Free World, a secular nonprofit corporation.

         For more information about the Foundation, or to get free copies of the booklets, please go to their website at www.drugfreeworld.org.