County agency hosts annual Red Ribbon Run on Oct. 29
Local runners have a chance to compete for top times and raise
money for substance abuse prevention programs at the 22nd Annual
Red Ribbon 5K and 1-mile walk.
The race will again be in San Juan Bautista, a new venue
starting last year, with runners starting and finishing near the
Mission.
County agency hosts annual Red Ribbon Run on Oct. 29
Local runners have a chance to compete for top times and raise money for substance abuse prevention programs at the 22nd Annual Red Ribbon 5K and 1-mile walk.
The race will again be in San Juan Bautista, a new venue starting last year, with runners starting and finishing near the Mission.
“We had a lot of good feedback from participants that they liked San Juan and liked the scenery of the run,” said Renee Hankla, the substance abuse program manager. “Overall, it is a nice race.”
The event includes a 1-mile fun walk and a 5K run, and families can register for one event or both.
“It’s a nice alternative for people who can’t do the longer distance,” said Hankla, of the one-mile walk. “It also brings families.”
They will host a short fun run for the children, who can wear their Halloween costumes to the event. The kids will all get a red ribbon for participating.
This year, the agency started the San Benito Elementary School Walk Challenge, to encourage local school children to participate in the race.
The county school that has the most students attend the walk will get a trophy and receive a $150 cash award. Organizers hope the challenge will continue in coming years, with the trophy moving to whatever school has the highest participation each year.
“We wanted to make sure we were encouraging youth to get involved and talk about healthy living,” Hankla said. “It’s a good way to do that. Talking about the danger of drugs and alcohol while they are there is a good way to reach kids. And it’s something to do together as a family, too.”
After the races are completed, Hankla said they have scheduled a guest speaker to talk about the issue of substance abuse. Debbie Allen, a parent who lost her daughter to alcohol poisoning and who has worked to pass legislation preventing minors from drinking, will speak to the crowd. Allen lobbied for state Assembly Bill 1999, dubbed Shelby’s law after her daughter, and AB 2498. The first law grants limited immunity from prosecution to underage drinkers who seek medical help for themselves or their peers. Allen’s 17-year-old daughter died of alcohol poisoning just before Christmas in 2008.
The second, dubbed the Teen Alcohol Safety Act of 2010, also recently went into effect. The bill makes it state law that adults are liable if they serve alcohol to minors in social settings, if the minors were injured or killed due to their intoxication. While serving alcohol to minors is already illegal, this bill allows families of those killed as a result of teenagers drinking alcohol to file civil lawsuits.
The Hollister council approved a social host ordinance in February 2010, which established monetary fines for anyone who provides alcohol to a minor.
Hankla said that Allen spoke at some town hall meetings that the Substance Abuse program coordinated about underage drinking and she said she hopes to have Allen speak at some schools the Friday before the run.
“She’s educating youth about the dangers,” Hankla said. “She’s gone all over the state and travels across the United States.”
The registration fees from the run go back into the substance abuse department’s prevention programs. Some of the programs include Friday Night Live and Club Live, at the high school and middle schools, which promote lifestyles free of alcohol and drugs. They also run the Leadership and Resiliency program at San Benito High School, Santa Ana and San Andreas High schools.
“It does help support them and the required activities that are part of their programs,” Hankla said. “I just want to thank the community for the support we’ve had over the years with the run and walk. We are able to reach out to the community and come together as a community to talk about this issue that we encounter every day, and it affects everyone.”
Red Ribbon Run
San Benito County Behavioral Health Services Substance Abuse Program will host the 22nd annual Red Ribbon Run 5K and 1 mile fun walk, Oct. 29, starting at the San Juan Bautista State Historic Park. The walk begins at 9:30 a.m. and the run starts at 10 a.m. Raffle prizes and a trophy ceremony will be held after the run. Also after the run, guest speaker Debbie Allen will be the guest speaker for the drug and alcohol awareness event that raises money for prevention in local schools. The pre-registration deadline is Oct. 15, to register in time to be guaranteed a T-shirt and for the lowest registration prices.
Registration for the 1-mile fun walk is $10 for adults and children 12 and up, $5 for children 11 and under, or $10 each for the walk and a T-shirt. The 5K is $25 for adults and children 12 and up if registered before Oct. 15 or $30 for late registration. The 5K is $20 for children 11 and under if registered before Oct. 15, or $25 for late registration. The combined run and walk is $30 for adults and children 12 and up for those registered by Oct. 15, or $35 for late registration. The combined run walk is $20 for children under 11 who register by Oct. 15, or $25 for late registration. Some discounted registration is available online at active.com. Day of race registrations will be taken at a higher cost. For more information, call 636-4020 or visit www.sbcprevention.com.
