Red Ribbon Week ends with family fun day

The parade traveled down Victor II Boulevard ending by the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium. 

Students in the parish participated in contests, assemblies, and dress-up days throughout the week and learned about good decision-making skills as part of National Red Ribbon Week, Diane Wiltz, St. Mary Parish Public Schools at-risk interventionist, said.

Saturday marked the finale of Red Ribbon Week. Wiltz said the weather turned out to be beautiful Saturday and was “a Norman Rockwell day.”

The majority of public schools in the parish took part in the parade, and cheering and banner competitions, Wiltz said. The winners of the cheering competition were Bayou Vista Elementary and Morgan City Junior High, and the winners of the banner competition were Hattie Watts Elementary and Morgan City Junior High. 

The event was drug-free with no alcohol served, and tobacco use was also discouraged at the fair. “We want to teach our children by role modeling that you can go to a fair and festival and be completely drug free,” Wiltz said.

A group of women from Claire House, a drug and alcohol treatment center in Bayou Vista, also participated in the event.

The Knights of Columbus sold hamburgers and hot dogs while school 4-H clubs and other community organizations had game booths set up. The Red Ribbon Committee had a popcorn booth, and free cake was also given away.

With Halloween coming up, children also got to participate in a costume contest. “The little children’s Halloween costumes made their debut with us on Saturday,” Wiltz said. 

Red Ribbon Week concluded Sunday in St. Mary Parish with a Day of Prayer. Even though Red Ribbon Week has ended, the St. Mary Parish Red Ribbon Committee stays active throughout the year, Wiltz said. The committee hosts community-building and prevention events, she said.

The Red Ribbon Committee will host its only fundraiser, the arts and crafts bazaar, Nov. 9 at the Patterson Area Civic Center.