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It’s always great when a community coalesces to solve a public health problem. It’s even greater when the mayor and key members of the Common Council come together and join them.
That’s what happened in Niagara Falls, NY last Thursday, November 17, to bring attention to the 41st annual Great American Smokeout
Led by Mayor Paul Dyster, Councilmember Ezra P. Scott Jr. , Niagara Falls Public Library representative Michele Timby, and our Executive Director Anthony G. Billoni, 75+ students, activists, parents and community leaders picked up cigarette butts, encouraged their friends and peers to quit smoking and spoke out against the dangers of tobacco use.
Don’t just take our word for it. Check out this video.
As you have seen, our young Reality Check advocates from Niagara Falls High School led the charge. From making signs, leading younger children from the Successfully Transitioning Youth to Adolescence
program and educating the crowd, they made a difference for the Smokeout Day and every day.
Again, words don’t do the energy and passion justice. But this video of Reality Check advocate and Niagara High School senior Michael McDonald does.
We hope more municipalities follow Niagara Falls’ lead in passing smoke-free legislation that can improve the lives of all citizens. And if our waterways and wildlife could talk, we’re pretty sure they would say the same.