Robins to host colorful events for Triple Ribbon Month in October Published Oct. 1, 2015 By Staff Reports Robins Public Affairs ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Robins has teamed with Houston County community leaders to support a campaign designed to increase awareness and foster prevention in the areas of drug abuse, domestic violence and breast cancer. On Thursday, the mayors of Warner Robins, Centerville, and Perry, along with the Houston County Commission chairman and Robins' Installation Commander, Col. Jeffrey King, will sign a proclamation announcing October is Triple Ribbon awareness month during a public ceremony at Central Georgia Technical College. Stuart Bapties, Health and Wellness Center flight commander, said the day will begin a month of awareness events coordinated between base helping agencies and their local community counterparts. Robins will host a free 5K Color Walk and Run and Resiliency Fair at the HAWC Oct. 16 from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., with free T-shirts for the first 350 people to arrive. Weekly road shows and spirit days will give Robins a fun way to learn about the month's important topics. The annual Houston Educare Pink Picnic Oct. 29 at the Museum of Aviation will round out the month's events. Bapties said the red ribbon signifies that alcohol and drug abuse have reached epidemic stages. "It's become clear that visible, unified prevention education efforts by community members are essential to eliminating the demand for drugs," he said. The National Red Ribbon campaign offers the community an opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to drug-free lifestyles. The campaign will be celebrated in every community in America during Red Ribbon Week, October 23 through 31. This year's theme is "Respect Yourself! Be Drug Free." Bapties said the purple ribbon is a reminder that while there has been substantial progress in reducing domestic violence, there are still one in four women and one in seven men in America still suffering serious physical violence at least once in their lives. "Every day, three women die in this country as a result of domestic violence, and millions of Americans live in daily, silent fear within their own homes," he said. "Domestic violence attacks an individual's privacy, dignity, security, and humanity through the use of physical, emotional, sexual, psychological, and economic control or abuse. "Children who grow up in violent homes often believe that they're to blame, live in a constant state of fear and are 15 times more likely to be victims of child abuse," he added. Domestic violence costs the nation billions of dollars annually in medical expenses, police and court costs, shelter and foster care expenses, sick leave, absenteeism and non-productivity. It also accounts for 15 percent of all violent crime, Bapties said. "Only community involvement and awareness will put a stop to these heinous crimes and create an environment that supports safe, healthy relationships," he said. The pink ribbon highlights Breast Cancer Awareness. "Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women and is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, following lung cancer," Bapties said. "The chance of developing invasive breast cancer at some time in a woman's life is about one in eight, and it's estimated 231,840 women will be diagnosed with it and 40,290 women will die of breast cancer in 2015. "The good news is that death rates from breast cancer have been declining, and that change is believed to be the result of earlier detection and improved treatment related to increased education and community outreach," Bapties said. Visit the Health and Wellness Center on Oct. 16 between 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. to speak with a host of community vendors who will provide free information on ways people can improve their resiliency. For more information, call the center at 478-327-8480.