Red Ribbon Week in Kalkaska County

Red Ribbon Week is an annual event in the United States that is dedicated to promoting drug prevention awareness and encouraging healthy, drug-free lifestyles among youth. In an effort to include every public school in Kalkaska County during Red Ribbon Week, it was full steam ahead for Live Well Kalkaska Substance Free Coalition’s Coordinator, Suzanne Prentice, Kalkaska Deputy, Eric Rohring, and several volunteers. The goal for the two partners was to positively impact as many students as possible in all Kalkaska County Schools during the Red Ribbon Week Campaign. That is Nine separate schools in seven days. The team started on Wednesday, October 23, at the Kalkaska High School. Both Deputy Rohring and Prentice were invited to take part in an assembly coordinated by the Kalkaska High School Student Counsel. During the full student body assembly, the duo, along with other speakers, answered questions related to substance misuse and substance use disorders. Afterwards, the Coalition prevention table was set up, volunteers and staff interacted with students, and Red Ribbon Week promotional items were handed out. The week continued with a prevention table at Forest Area High School/Middle School/Upper Elementary and Fife Lake Elementary on Thursday, Kalkaska Middle School on Friday, and the Kalkaska Alternative Program on Monday. On Tuesday, they were out at Rapid City Elementary, and then at the Kalkaska Farm Market located at Railroad Square, where homeschool and private school students were also welcomed to take part in the event. It was a full load for the group on Wednesday with about 500 students total between the Kalkaska Upper Elementary and Birch Street Elementary. The campaign concluded on Thursday, October 31, at the unique Crawford one-room School House. Overall, there were close to 2,000 students served in Kalkaska County during the 2024 Red Ribbon Week Campaign.