ANNOUNCEMENTS

Oct. 4-5, 2011: Weight of the State conference

Virginia's second annual Weight of the State childhood obesity prevention conference was held Oct. 4-5 at the Richmond Marriott. Chaired by First Lady of Virginia Maureen McDonnell, the conference drew more than 350 physicians, public health professionals and educators from across Virginia. Speakers included: Va. Secretary of Health and Human Resources Dr. Bill Hazel; Margo Wootan, director of nutrition policy for the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI); and Terry O'Toole, senior adviser, Communities Putting Prevention to Work, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

April 5-6, 2011: Reducing Tobacco Use National Conference

Thank you for making our second national youth tobacco-use prevention conference such a great success!!

2011 Award Winners for Virginia Youth Advocate, Healthy Business of the Year

Prevention Connections presented its third annual Virginia Youth Advocate of the Year Award and a $2,500 college scholarship to Patrick Kelly of Herndon at an April 5 awards luncheon at the Downtown Richmond Marriott. Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Resources Dr. Bill Hazel helped present the award to Kelly during the second Reducing Tobacco Use national conference co-sponsored by Prevention Connections and the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth.

Kelly was honored for his volunteer work to prevent and reduce youth tobacco use in the Commonwealth as a member of Y Street, the largest volunteer youth-led advocacy movement in Virginia. Established and supported by the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth (VFHY), Y Street works to reduce and prevent youth tobacco use and to promote healthy lifestyles for youth in Virginia.

For more information about Patrick Kelly and the youth award, please read our press release.

Prevention Connections also presented its third annual Virginia Healthy Business of the Year award to Henrico County Public Schools.

Henrico County Public Schools was recognized for its exceptional health and wellness services and its commitment to smoke-free workplaces. HCPS Supervisor of School Health Jessica Dawson and Administrator of Social Work Services Jan Parrish accepted the award for the school system.

“Prevention Connections commends Henrico County Public Schools for providing a healthy, smoke-free environment and for its progressive, innovative health and wellness programs,” says Prevention Connections Chairman Danny Saggese.

“I am proud to represent Henrico County Public Schools and appreciate that our administration, school board, and leaders value the whole child and the relationship between health and education,” says HCPS Supervisor of School Health Jessica Dawson. “Our efforts are guided by our School Health Advisory Board, and we implement the Coordinated School Health Framework to meet the needs of our students and staff.”

Read more about Henrico County Public Schools in the press release.

Virginia Healthy Youth Day 2011

Prevention Connections partnered with the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth to sponsor the second annual Virginia Healthy Youth Day on Jan. 20, 2011, at the Virginia State Capitol Bell Tower. Virginia First Lady Maureen McDonnell was the keynote speaker. Also on hand were instructors from American Family Fitness and mascots from the Richmond Flying Squirrels, Richmond Kickers and Virginia Commonwealth University Rams. More than 400 middle school students from Chesterfield County Public Schools joined Mrs. McDonnell in exercises on the State Capitol lawn to promote physical fitness and healthy living.

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May 18, 2010: Weight of the State Conference: A Statewide Summit on Childhood Obesity

Thank you for helping to make this sold-out conference such a great success!!

PC Receives Grant to Increase Access to Tobacco Cessation Treatments

Partnership for Prevention congratulates Prevention Connections on being awarded one of six ACTTION State Grants for the implementation of innovative strategies to increase access to tobacco cessation treatments. Funds are to be used primarily for the development of state alliances/summit meetings and the creation of strategic plans. Prevention Connections received $27,500 from the grant.

Virginia’s project will place emphasis on the behavioral health/substance abuse population, which has a smoking rate 2-4 times higher than the general population. Mental health systems and professionals will be convened to advance cessation, including homeless health centers, community service boards, rural health facilities, and residential mental health centers. These safety net providers seldom include tobacco cessation in their treatment plans. “This grant will aid facilities in Virginia to become smoke-free and it will help their clients lead healthier lives,” said R. Neal Graham, chairman of Prevention Connections’ Board of Directors.

Read more in the press release.

Jan. 20, 2010: Virginia Healthy Youth Day

Prevention Connections partnered with the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth to sponsor the first annual Virginia Healthy Youth Day on Jan. 20, 2010, at the Virginia State Capitol Bell Tower. Virginia First Lady Maureen McDonnell was the keynote speaker, helping to formally kick off the Foundation's new childhood obesity prevention initiatives. Also on hand were instructors from American Family Fitness and mascots from Virginia universities who led 250 school children in exercises on the State Capitol lawn to promote physical fitness and healthy living.

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Va. Selected for Safe Routes to School State Network Project

Prevention Connections is pleased to announce that the Safe Routes to School National Partnership has selected Virginia to participate in the 2010/2011 phase of the State Network Project. Virginia is among 19 states (plus the District of Columbia) that have been chosen to participate in this project, which is being funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Kaiser Permanente and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Virginia Network will work to increase physical activity among all students, ensure that federal SRTS funds are spent on quality projects, work to leverage additional state resources for SRTS initiatives and advocate to remove barriers to walking and bicycling to schools through policy initiatives. The 2010-2011 phase of the State Network Project also includes a focus on serving lower-income populations and reducing crime. Read the press release.

2009 Award winners for Youth, Smoke-Free Business

Prevention Connections presented its second annual Virginia Youth Advocate of the Year Award and a $2,500 college scholarship to Rima Patel, 17, of Charlottesville, at an Oct. 7 awards luncheon at the Downtown Richmond Marriott.

For the past two years, Rima has been one of the leading teen volunteers in Y Street, a statewide youth anti-tobacco-use advocacy group sponsored by the Virginia Tobacco Settlement Foundation (VTSF), a division of the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth.

Rima is so passionate about Y Street, in fact, that, during a visit to New York, she held up a Y Street sign outside the Times Square window of NBC’s Today Show. “That was pretty fun. I was on TV for a few seconds and my uncle back home saw me,” she says. For more information about Rima and the award, read the press release.

Prevention Connections also presented its second annual Virginia Smoke-free Business of the Year award to the Virginia Street Café restaurant of Urbanna, Va. Owner Judy Wade, who quit smoking herself 15 years ago, took her restaurant completely smoke-free on Nov. 1, 2008, in the middle of the popular annual Urbanna Oyster Festival. Read more about Virginia Street Cafe in the press release.

Check the Web for Smoke-Free Dining in VA!

Although legislative efforts to ban smoking in Virginia restaurants have not yet been successful, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) has added a database of smoke-free restaurants to its Web site to cater to health-conscious diners. Under the Restaurant Inspections section, the VDH website notes whether establishments permit smoking, whether there are designated smoking areas, and whether smoking is banned on the premises. The site also offers percentages of fast-food and dining establishments that are smokefree in each county.

PC Presents 2008 Youth Advocate of the Year and Smoke-free Business Awards

At a Sept. 24 awards luncheon in Newport News, Prevention Connections presented its first annual Virginia Youth Advocate of the Year Award to Charles Coats, 17, of Manassas. A senior at Osbourn High School in Manassas, Charles also received a $2,500 college scholarship. As an active member of Y St., the Virginia Tobacco Settlement Foundation's teen volunteer organization, Charles represented Virginia at the 2007 National Conference on Tobacco or Health in 2007. He also was instrumental in a Y St. campaign to attempt to get Rolling Stone and Glamour magazines to stop exposing youth to tobacco advertising.

Prevention Connections also honored the Marriott Newport News at City Center as its Smoke-free Business of the Year for its commitment to smoke-free policies that better the health of its patrons and employees.

Read more about the awards and the winners in the event press release.

PC Accepting Nominations for 2008 Virginia Youth Advocate of the Year Award

Prevention Connections is pleased to open nominations for our first annual Virginia Youth Advocate of the Year Award! We're looking for outstanding rising high school seniors who are making a difference in youth tobacco-use prevention and reduction. The award includes a $2,500 college scholarship! Nominations must be received by Sept. 4.
Download Nomination Form Here

PC Accepting Nominations for New Board Members

Prevention Connections is accepting nominations for new members on our Board of Directors. We're seeking candidates with a diverse range of professional and volunteer expertise. Desired qualities of our board members include, but are not limited to: previous service on a nonprofit board, fundraising and development experience and community service. PC is committed to prevention and reduction of tobacco use through education, intervention, policy development and community outreach to improve the health of individuals and communities.
Download Nomination Form Here

PC's 1st Annual Poker Tournament A Royal Success!

Thanks to everyone who helped make Prevention Connections' FIRST ANNUAL TEXAS HOLD 'EM TOURNAMENT such a big success! More than 50 players competed in our April 26 charity tournament at the Downtown Richmond Marriott.

And congratulations to our grand prize winner: Dawn Buchanan of Richmond, Va., who won a $10,000 seat to the World Series of Poker Main Event in Las Vegas, July 3-15!

Other prize winners: