MCAS BEAUFORT, S.C. -- It was a rainy and gloomy day, but Tri-Command area Marines and sailors didn’t let a little rain stop them from riding through Beaufort and Port Royal in support of Red Ribbon Week.
The Air Station held its second annual Red Ribbon motorcycle ride Oct. 24, starting from the Officers’ Club, going through Port Royal to Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island and finally ending after passing through Beaufort.
Red Ribbon Week is celebrated in memory of Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, a former Marine and a special agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration who lost his life while fighting drug trafficking during his 11 years with the DEA.
“We had this ride in support of (Camarena) and what he did in trying to prevent drugs from entering our country,” said Gayle Wierzbicki, the Drug Demand Reduction coordinator for Tri-Command. “We did this ride because we are showing that we are for drug prevention in our military.”
The Red Ribbon Ride started with a free breakfast at the Officers’ Club, followed by the riders being given vests to wear that read “Riding for a Drug Free Military.”
“I was so happy to see how the ride came together and to see how much support we had in the memory of Camarena,” said Angela Lovell, a Drug Demand Reduction technician for Tri-Command.
After the breakfast, riders revved their bikes and left the Air Station in seven-minute intervals, from squad one to squad seven. They then went through Port Royal and onto Parris Island, breaking at Legions Golf Course. Afterwards, the riders went through Beaufort before splitting into their own ways, marking the conclusion of the ride.
There were 124 riders and 19 volunteers that participated in the ride.
Other organizations involved in the ride, included the Exceptional Family Member Program, the Financial Planning Program, Adult Recreation Program, the Single Marine and Sailor Program and Semper Fit/Health Promotions.
“The ride was well put together,” said Lance Cpl. Basye Hibbett, an aviation ordnance man with the Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 31. “Safety was a main priority on everyone’s mind. People were able to see us show our drug-free policy in the military.”