Crowds will gather once again in Vinoy Park this Saturday for the 10th Annual Red Ribbon Family Fun Fest from 9 a.m.- 3 p.m., hosted by Operation PAR, Inc. This is the one time every year that drug prevention is all about fun and games.
PAR’s Chief Operating Officer, Dianne Clarke, said “This event is PAR’s way of giving back to the community, asking people to participate in healthy, fun, family-friendly activities and for us to continue spreading awareness about simple, active things we all can do to prevent drug abuse.”
At noon, National Fitness Hall of Fame inductee Forbes Riley will take the stage to address the crowd: “Want success? Get and stay healthy. An urgent message from Forbes Riley on personal empowerment for all ages.”
Some people at first might not see a correlation between bouncy castles, video game trucks, food vendors, contests and the rest of park festival fare with drug prevention, but it’s actually a powerful message: “Prevention can be fun and as simple as spending time together, talking, laughing and being involved and aware,” said Clarke.
Beyond the fun and games, however, is a horrific reality for far too many families and individuals in Pinellas County—the catastrophic effects of drug abuse on the lives of those with addictions and for those who love them. “We need the community to know that we are here for them. We need them to know that there is hope in recovery, treatment works, that prevention works and that we are here for the families, too.”
Clarke offered up five simple ways that people can support prevention in their families and community:
1) Be a positive role model—youth tend to do what they see, and they need mentors and good examples;
2) Talk to one another about things that are important, and keep talking. There is no age too young, and it is never too late to talk about any issue;
3) Listen—it is so important for people to know that they are heard and that someone cares enough about them to listen to them;
4) Participate in activities together—like attending the Red Ribbon Family Fun Fest, but also participating in school activities, eating meals together, playing sports… anything that you can do together;
5) Donate to prevention and treatment programs. Nonprofit organizations have learned to do a lot with a little, but since most of our funding has come from the government and tax resources, budget cuts have not prioritized funding for prevention and treatment.
For more information about Operation PAR, Inc., please visit: www.operationpar.org
