Mr. Gross Mouth, Mr. Foul Mouth, Mr. Dip Lip

Just in time for Halloween...No these aren't new character costumes for trick-or-treating! They are just a few of the fabulous tobacco prevention resources I have in my office available for loan. In fact, I just sent these three fellows out together last week to a grantee who couldn't wait to share them with her TND participants! I have videos, games, displays, models, even a set of inflatable PIG LUNGS that can be checked out anytime.

Visit our website here (www.healthyyouthva.org/vtsf/grantes/forms.asp) to view the List of Supplemental Tobacco Control Materials Available for Loan and then send in a completed Loaner Agreement form to me and we'll get you what you need. I also have some fun buttons and "You can quit smoking" bookmarks for anyone who can use them.

The scary reality is that 9,300 Virginia kids under age 18 become new smokers every year. Wouldn't it be a treat for all of us if we could make that number disappear?

VDH Training Opportunity

Visit http://www.cleartheairva.org/ to get details on this upcoming training opportunity for those in tobacco use control or community wellness. The training will be held Thursday, November 4 in Richmond.

Topics to be presented include:

Community and workplace strategies for reducing tobacco use and exposure

Smoke-free parks and play areas that promote physical activity

Initiatives that provide access to good nutrition and provide food security for communities

Safe places to walk and bike

Programs to promote cessation programs and 1-800-QUITNOW

Safe Routes to School Grants

The Prevention Connections Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program is accepting applications for $2,000 mini-grants to sponsor a Walk and Bike to School event.

The goals of the mini-grant program are to (1) increase awareness of the benefits of safe walking/biking to school, (2) increase the number of youth engaging in physical activity through walking/biking to school and (3) provide schools with resources on SRTS best practices and additional funding opportunities.

These mini-grants specifically target low-income areas. Studies show that these children face a higher risk of being injured or killed as pedestrians. The mini-grant program is intended to be a catalyst for these communities to begin to examine ways to make the environment safer and more accessible for children to walk and bike to school, as well as to connect these groups with larger funding opportunities.

The application is available online at www.preventionconnections.org. In order to apply, the targeted schools must be Title I elementary and/or middle schools in Virginia. A variety of groups are encouraged to apply including PTAs, local governments, community agencies and nonprofits, etc.

Deadline for applications is Thursday, December 30, 2010, 11:59 p.m. For any additional information, contact Ashley Johnson, SRTS Program Manager at (804) 225-3004 or ajohnson@preventionconnections.org.

And That's What It's All About

Check out these shiny, happy faces from two of our Southwest grantees!

Pictured top above are some preschoolers ready to LUAU in Galax. Thanks to

Rooftop of VA CAP for sharing this photo of their Head Start kids

as they celebrated the end of their Al's Pals program.

Below that group, you'll see some students from St. John Neumann Academy in Blacksburg. They're staying cool during their end of year field day

following the completion of their Positive Action program.

What a fanatastic reminder that the work we do is building stronger,

healthier kids across our region!

Kudos to us all for a great 09-10 grant year!

*and you thought I was going to say the HOKIE POKIE didn't you? ;)

Take a Break from the Heat

Are these dog days of summer getting to you? Are you in need of an American Idol substitute of some sort?

Then take a cool 26 minute break and watch this great documentary produced by WHRO in Hampton Roads (2008) called Surviving Abundance: Overweight Kids in Crisis that examines the epidemic of childhood obesity.


Childhood health professionals paint a grim picture for the future of overweight children unless we begin to make systemic changes that support more healthy choices. Local, state and national childhood health experts, including William H. Dietz, Jr., MD, PhD, Director of Nutrition & Physical Activity at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, discuss steps we can take to turn the tide, and the program highlights organizations with exemplary programs which encourage healthier lifestyles.

Surviving Abundance was produced in collaboration with the Consortium for Infant and Child Health (CINCH), a community partnership to promote health and prevent disease among all children in Hampton Roads.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUMn9ncZFjI

FDA's Light/Low Ban and NYC New Ad Campaign

New information forwarded from the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids:

As you know, the FDA law's ban on the use of misleading descriptors such as "light," "low," etc. goes into effect, along with many other provisions of the law, on June 22nd. This presents a great opportunity to remind smokers that there is no safer cigarette and to promote quitting through quitlines or other evidence-based cessation interventions. You probably also know that the tobacco companies are using color coding to send the same messages about the light and low sub-brands.

New York City has launched an innovative and extremely creative and thoughtful response to the tobacco industry's effort to subvert the intent of the law requiring the elimination of the terms "light", "low tar" and "mild". This campaign uses the mass media to counter the industry and to turn its color packages effort on its head. New York City is a model of a proactive response to this industry tactic. By attacking the industry package change by a public education, New York has avoided any of the First Amendment issues around banning colors and has been able to respond in a timely fashion in a way that a regulatory approach could not have done.

Check out NYC's Health Department's website to see the hard-hitting television ads: www.nyc.gov/health

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And here in Virginia, adults that want to quit can call 1-800-QUIT NOW for free phone counseling.

Grant Closeout Reminders

Don't forget!

Final progress reports and invoices for fiscal year 09-10 are due to me July 15th.