Jasper Mayor John Weaver officially proclaimed the last week of October “Red Ribbon Week” at this week’s city council meeting. At the city council meeting, members of the General Raymond G. Davis Metro Atlanta Young Marines Gage and Athan Bennett asked the mayor for a proclamation declaring the week of October 23rd- October 31st Red Ribbon Week.

Before asking for the proclamation, Athan Bennett said Red Ribbon week was started after Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, a former U.S Marine and Drug Enforcement Administration special agent who was killed after infiltrating a drug cartel in Mexico, after which his friends started the “Kiki Camarena Clubs” in the Imperial Valley of California. Then Bennett further explained that in 1985, after hearing the news of the death of Camarena, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the last week of October to be Red Ribbon Week.

“I ask you to give me your proclamation on this Red Ribbon Week, and I ask the citizens of Jasper to stand with me and fight against the illegal use of drugs and alcohol,”

ended Bennett.

Afterwards, Mayor Weaver read the proclamation out loud encouraging the citizens of Jasper to participate in helping making Jasper a healthy and drug free environment.

Since the beginning of Red Ribbon Week in 1985, now over 80 million Americans claim to live drug free lives.

The first day of Red Ribbon Week will be Tuesday, October 23rd.