Porter County Red Ribbon Campaign Celebrates 2014 Winners

2014-RR-Banquet-winnesThe Porter County Red Ribbon Campaign celebrated their winners at an event held on Tuesday, May 6th. Over 85 people celebrated the seven winners. This year’s poster winners are Destiny Billing from Boone Grove High School and Samantha Fazekas from Chesterton Middle School. The placemat winners are Julia Larson from Liberty Intermediate, Cashmir Morris from Morgan Township Elementary, Alyssa Supreant from Washington Township and Theo Coulopoulos from Cooks Corners. This year’s Red Ribbon Scholarship winner, Ashley Barnas, is a senior at Portage High School.

Many members of the community were on hand to congratulate the winners and offer support of the choice of a drug-free life. Porter County Commissioner Nancy Adams, Porter County Recorder Jon Miller, Porter County Coroner Chuck Harris, Porter County Treasurer Mike Bucko, Portage Mayor Jim Snyder and Sheriff David Lain all gave awards to the children. State Senator Ed Charbonneau and Valparaiso Police Chief Mike Brickner attended and are supporters of this awareness campaign. Superintendents Pruis, Gardin and Schmidt attended in celebration of their students. Superintendent Gardin gave a presentation on the recent additions to Red Ribbon week with the interdisciplinary lesson plans for grades 6-8 on the problems with substance use and abuse.

Porter County Red Ribbon Campaign Chair Jacquelyn Sterling was excited about the participation. “We are here for the children and their future.”