Article published Jan 9, 2008
‘Get Healthy
Cenla’ initiative launches on Wednesday; tobacco-company founder's grandson is
featured speaker
The kickoff of the “Get Healthy Cenla” initiative is
set for 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 9, in the Coughlin-Saunders Performing
Arts Center, 1202 Third St., Alexandria.
Patrick Reynolds, the grandson of tobacco-company founder R.J. Reynolds, will
be the keynote speaker. He will emphasize the dangers of tobacco use.
Reynolds will speak on “Tobacco Wars: The Battle for a Smoke-Free
America.”
Reservations for the event are encouraged by either e-mail to
events@rapidesfoundation.org
or by phone at 1-800-994-3394 or (318) 443-3394.
“We are honored to have
Patrick Reynolds bring his unique perspective to Central Louisiana,” said Joe
Rosier, president and CEO of The Rapides Foundation, which is sponsoring the
initiative.
“He knows firsthand about the dangers of smoking and tobacco
use, and he also knows the lengths that the tobacco industry has gone to keep
people buying their product.”
Reynolds first spoke out against the
tobacco industry in 1986 after watching his father and brother die from
cigarette-induced emphysema and lung cancer.
In 2003, former U.S. Surgeon
General C. Everett Koop called Reynolds “one of the nation's most influential
advocates of a smoke-free America. His testimony is invaluable to our
society.”
“Get Healthy Cenla” focuses on tobacco, diet and physical
activity. Wednesday’s event will introduce the foundation’s multimillion dollar
investment in tobacco-prevention and tobacco-control efforts. The diet and
physical activity components will be introduced later.
According to The
Rapides Foundation, 50.9 percent of Central Louisiana smokers tried to quit
smoking at least once in the past year. Nationally, about 57.9 percent of
smokers tried to quit.
For more information on the foundation, visit http://www.rapidesfoundation.org/. For more information on Get
Healthy Cenla, visit http://www.gethealthycenla.org/.
Schedule of Community Forums
Here is the schedule of community forums
for “Get Healthy Cenla:”
Tuesday, Jan. 15, 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m., Rapides
Parish Community Forum, Sai Convention Center (formerly the Louisiana Convention
Center), 2301 North MacArthur Drive, Alexandria
Wednesday, Jan. 16, 1:30
p.m.-3 p.m., Allen Parish Community Forum, Allen Parish Civic Center, 609 Tiger
Lane, Oberlin
Wednesday, Jan. 16, 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m., Allen Parish
Community Forum, Grumpy's Catfish Kitchen, 108 South Ninth St.,
Oakdale
Thursday, Jan. 17, 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m., Grant Parish Community
Forum, Colfax Banking Company Community Room, 625 Eighth St.,
Colfax
Wednesday, Jan. 23, 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m., Natchitoches Parish
Community Forum, Natchitoches Regional Medical Center, Community Conference
Room, 501 Keyser Avenue, Natchitoches
Thursday, Jan. 24, 1:30 p.m.-3
p.m., Avoyelles Parish Community Forum, Bunkie Civic Center, 200 Walnut St.,
Bunkie
Thursday, Jan. 24, 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m., Avoyelles Parish Community
Forum, Avoyelles Parish School Board Office Board Room, 221 Tunica Drive West,
Marksville
Wednesday, Jan. 30, 1:30 p.m.-3 p.m., Catahoula Parish
Community Forum, Catahoula Parish Library, 300 Bushly St.,
Harrisonburg
Wednesday, Jan. 30, 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m., Catahoula Parish
Community Forum, Jackie's Riverside Restaurant, 1530 Fourth St.,
Jonesville
Thursday, Jan. 31, 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m., LaSalle Parish Community
Forum, LaSalle General Hospital Cafeteria, 187 Ninth St., Jena
Thursday,
Feb. 7, 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m., Vernon Parish Community Forum, Holiday Inn Express
Freedom Room, 3032 Colony Boulevard, Leesville
Tuesday, Feb. 12, 5:30
p.m.-7 p.m., Winn Parish Community Forum, Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of
Fame, 499 East Main St., Winnfield
Thursday, Feb. 14, 1:30 p.m.-3 p.m.,
Rapides Parish Community Forum, Sai Convention Center (formerly the Louisiana
Convention Center), 2301 North MacArthur Drive, Alexandria
