Smoke-Free Home and Car Pledge Goal Surpassed!

Last fiscal year we surpassed our goal of collecting 300 Smoke-Free Home and Car Pledges by over 20%. We collected 366 pledges, including 39 at the Jefferson County Fair in June. We have set the same goal of 300 pledges for this fiscal year, and we are already well on our way to fulfilling it. Since July 1 we collected 32 pledges at Keokuk County Fair and 49 at the August Art Walk in Fairfield. Articles about the pledge drive appeared in the Fairfield Ledger and Richland Clarion Plainsman. Keokuk County Public Health Administrator, Marilyn Waechter, was quoted as saying, "We commend all those people who took the pledge. Once parents understand how dangerous it (secondhand tobacco smoke) is, they are happy to do what it takes to protect their children."

Fairfield JEL Student Appointed to JEL Executive Council

Nine area students attended the JEL summit in Grinnell in June. Four were from Pekin High School and five were from Fairfield, including Candace Fisher (behind the table on the left in the above photo) who was appointed to the JEL Executive Council. The Council is a board of young people from across Iowa who meet throughout the year to plan and guide the statewide organization of youth tobacco-free advocates known as JEL. Congradulations Candace! Thanks for representing the young people in our area.

August Art Walk

Area JEL students gave away buttons at the August Art Walk in Fairfield, whose theme focused on household pets. Buttons encouraged owners to protect their pets from secondhand smoke. Slogans included, "Pets like clean air, too!", "I took the Smoke-Free Home and Car Pledge", "If you're smoking in front of my dog, you better be on fire!" and "You can smoke around my dog, just don't exhale!"

Tobacco Cessation Class Begins September 9

A four-session tobacco cessation clinic will be offered at Jefferson County Health Center Boardroom in Fairfield starting at 7:30 p.m. on September 9. The clinic includes a consultation with a health professional to obtain a prescription for medication to make the process of quitting easier. Twelve local employers sponsor this program and medication for their employees. For more information call 641-209-2209.