School District, Colo. National Guard & Law Enforcement Partner For Education Experience
Mesa County, Colo. -- Elementary schools from Fruita to Orchard Mesa to Clifton will have some special guests landing in their backyards on Wednesday and Thursday this week. In the middle of National Police Week, the memory of fallen DEA Agent, Enrique Camarena will come alive through an educational partnership between local law enforcement, School District 51, the Colorado National Guard and the Department of Justice--Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Drug Free Week or Red Ribbon Week was established during President Ronald Reagan's Administration and is celebrated the last week of October each year. However, the opportunity for elementary kids in Mesa County is now for a presentation of the meaning and purpose behind Red Ribbon Week. The Colorado National Guard’s Joint Counterdrug Task Force joined with local DEA agents to land a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter at various elementary schools with a local DEA agent on board. That DEA agent, will give about a 25 minute presentation on the meaning of Red Ribbon Week, an anti-drug message and the connection with fallen DEA Agent Camarena's mission for kids to live a drug-free life.
This program and helicopter visual experience will take place in Grand Junction, Orchard Mesa, Clifton and Fruita in the morning and afternoon of both days. The Colorado National Guard helicopter unit will be coming in from Buckley Air Force Base, staying in town through the duration of the presentations and then will move on to other parts of the state for the same effort.
This public notice is two part. First, local law enforcement and School District 51 want citizens to be aware of the opportunity and partnership between many agencies to bring this unique and fun experience to elementary kids across the valley, while also providing education about the positives of living a life free of alcohol, tobacco and drug addiction. We hope it will be an unforgettable experience for the kids! Secondly, we want citizens to be aware of the helicopter flying and landing in various areas around the County on May 14 and 15, in connection to this program and not to have safety concerns.
Media inquiries should be directed to the following contacts:
- Colorado National Guard/ Lt. Cheresa Theiral PH: 720.250.1057
- School District 51/ Christy McGee PH: 970.254.5112
- Local DEA Resident Agent-In-Charge/ Jim Schrant PH: 970.683.3225
