Mariposa Safe Families and its partners Mariposa County Sheriff’s Department, Probation Department, Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, Heritage House, Mariposa Unified School District, Alcohol and other Drug Advisory Board and the Shared Leadership committee will participate in and lead Mariposa County in its Red Ribbon Week celebration through Oct. 31.

Mariposa County Probation has placed red ribbons around town to increase community awareness, and it will also be visiting many schools to talk to students and encourage them to live a healthy lifestyle. Mariposa County Probation and Sheriff’s Department will be collaborating by giving students Red Ribbon Week bracelets and rewarding them with a special prize at Mariposa Safe Families Halloween Carnival if they are still wearing them.

MCUSD will be providing all elementary and middle school students with ribbons, pencils, erasers, and drug free pledges. Elementary students will also participate in the Red Ribbon Week activity of decorating grocery bags. This activity, organized by the Alcohol and other Drug Advisory Board and Shared Leadership, allows students to decorate a brown grocery bag with Red Ribbon Week themes and will be handed out.

High school students through the MCHS Friday Night Live chapter with Mariposa Safe Families will be planting red tulip bulbs around the government center, library, and the courthouse. This activity is known as “plant the promise,” as they are planted during Red Ribbon Week and will blossom in April for alcohol awareness month.