Does Ribbon Week ever end?

To answer the question in the title, no I suppose it shouldn't. We should encourage our kids to be drug-free and non-violent all year. Unfortunately, all but one of my kids take drugs daily and seem to enjoy fighting. If Ethan follows his current interests, he'll be a lead designer in the weapons industry by his mid twenties. I don't know what all that means.

Judy has been involved with Ribbon Week for the last three (four?) years. For both junior high and elementary school where are kids are (she can get discounted speakers that way). It isn't low-key. She arranges for a speaker for the assembly, organizes theme-activities, collects prizes and other donations from local businesses, and coordinates it all during the week. (She learned the first year to schedule it on the shortened UEA week {don't tell her I called it that, or she'll have the PTA brute squad beat me . . . non-violently}). And when you think it's all over, she writes and distributes surveys, thank you notes, and newsletter articles (guess where my expertise is used).

This year, on my suggestion, she arranged for Mike Schlappi to speak to the junior high. I thought it would be a good idea, first because he's an alumnus and second, he has a great story. I was a year behind him in school, so I didn't interact with him a great deal. I just remember that he was popular and cool. He was one of those who always stood out. When I played little-league football, I went up against him on the line one day--he was on offense, I on defense. During half-time my coach yelled at me because I wasn't getting past him. It was probably the next year when, during practice, someone came brought the news that he had just been shot. It was a shock and shut down practice. Things like that aren't supposed to happen to guys like Mike.

Mike shared the side of the story that I never saw, his depression and fractured self-esteem. But his character carried him through. You can read the article at http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/284247/17/. If you look close at the picture in the article (not on the blog), you'll see Judy front row, center. She also has a quote in the article. Judy gave him a box of Cap'n Crunch to show their appreciation to him (I think it's mentioned in the article). Overall, it was a great success, and they hope to have him come on a regular basis. But then, Judy has always been successful putting these types a of things together. But I'm looking forward to the day that it is all put away in boxes until next year.