Acclaimed live programs
for middle schools, high schools
colleges or the
community
Make one local call now to ask a hospital to
sponsor this speaker, at no cost to you!
Also see our award-winning educational video
Patrick
Reynolds is a grandson of the tobacco company founder, R.J.
Reynolds, but the family's brands, Camel and Winston, killed
his father and eldest brother.
This
nationally known smokefree advocate is a popular motivational
speaker at schools,
hospitals and colleges around the nation.
Hospital
Community Relations or Marketing Directors frequently sponsor his talks, in part because press
coverage of his appearances is strong and positive. This
acclaimed program builds goodwill for sponsors, and is an
excellent outreach for hospitals.
Why not make one brief call to a likely local sponsor? See who
to call and what to say.
Let them know that space
permitting, members
of the local community may be invited, and that the
person assigned to tobacco control in your local county health department
may assist by booking more schools in the area.
"In
a little over an hour, Reynolds went from being just another
anti-tobacco speaker to something special," commented
a front page story in one local paper. See recent
news coverage.
"Within
the first five minutes, I was amazed to watch Patrick Reynolds
create an extraordinary bond with our school's culturally diverse
and economically underprivileged teens," said Hali Rosen, a teacher at Hawthorne (CA) High.
"After
his opening story about his own father's absence, and the sadness
and anger he felt as a youth because of it, he asked the students,
'How many of you do not have your biological fathers living
at home with you?' When
over 50% of the audience slowly raised their hands, our students
seemed to realize that these shared emotions cross all economic
and social borders -- and a bond was formed.
"After
that, the students listened quietly and respectfully, and I could
see real interest in their faces, as they related to his overheads
and the moving stories he told, so very effectively and skillfully."
See more feedback about Mr. Reynolds' talks from teachers, hospitals, college faculty, and other
clients.
An
outline of his youth program follows below.
For details
about his talks for adults, please scroll down this page.
Talk for adults
Talk for youth
Contact: Lupe Lopez
(800) 541-7741
email
See Contact link on left pane
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"Here
in suburban Chicago, three hospitals joined together
with the county health department to co-sponsor
this excellent community outreach. Hospital marketing
executives were thrilled with the positive front
page news coverage. Tobacco control staff in the
health department made their job easier, by handling
all the details with the schools at which Mr. Reynolds
spoke. His evening presentation for community members
was also a great success.
"Over
his five days of talks in schools, Mr. Reynolds
gave youth here a motivating and informative health
lesson, through his professional and dramatic story-telling,
and his use of powerful overheads. His talk followed
CDC-guidelines. I wholeheartedly recommend this
extraordinary speaker and his program. In each of
the nine schools he visited, he received near universal
praise from students and staff. This was a truly
outstanding program and community event."
Jessica
Gerdes, RN, MS, NCSN
School Health Consultant
DuPage County (IL) Health Department
|
|
The Truth
About Tobacco
A live assembly program
for middle schools and high schools |
This
live presentation helps empower youth to stay tobacco free. Teachers'
comments note that this speaker educational, highly motivational
and inspiring, and that he captivates students. Live or in a new educational video,
this program helps empower youth to stay tobacco and drug free.
Patrick Reynolds —
Opens hearts
and minds with the story of his father's death from smoking
Emphasizes the addictiveness of nicotine
Opens students' eyes to how tobacco ads manipulate our youth
Creates a new awareness of smoking by stars in TV and films
Motivates teens to resist peer pressure to smoke
Gives students a formula for saying no, with clear examples
Empowers audiences to make more responsible choices about drugs
and alcohol
Offers an
initiation into life, rooted in ancient traditions. "The core
message of my brief initiation today is this," Mr. Reynolds
says, "first, to gently open your eyes to the reality that
there's bad in the world — and that life brings everyone some
painful moments and obstacles. It's by staying with whatever difficulty
life throws at us that we heal, and solve our problems — not
by running away. But many adults escape their pain with cigarettes,
food, alcohol, drugs, TV, or even work. A lot of teens use music.
Instead, when problems arise, don't alter you mood by running away
to these. Stay with your problem, and talk to others about it —
a trusted teacher, your parents, the school counselor, your friends.
Stay with the problem, and talk to someone. You're initiated now
— and a little closer to the world of adults."
Includes motivation on making ethical choices, positive thinking,
saying no
A recurring theme: stressing the need to talk about problems to
another person, and not isolate
The
touching and powerful story of Sean Marsee, a young track star who
died at 19 from chewing tobacco, illustrated with heartrending before
and after overheads.
Hilarious
overheads which make fun of Joe Camel, in a hospital bed, and the
real Malboro Country: smokers puffing — and coughing —
outside an office building door.
Restoring students'
faith in the future In this age of terrorism, student worry
about the future has become more widespread. This five minute section
near the end of Mr. Reynolds' talk empowers youth to deal more effectively
with their doubts and fears about the future, and helps to restore
their faith in the coming years. This gives students a tangible
reason to hold on to their health. Mr. Reynolds motivates students
to 1) Talk about their worries and fears to another person, 2) Affirm
the positive, with real-life examples given, 3) Reevaluate: what
is real wealth, anyway? 4) to "Catch my faith, my rock solid faith in the future." He concludes, "So stay
tobacco, drug and alcohol free, for the wondrous, amazing years
ahead. Don't smoke, don't drink and don't use drugs — because you'll need your health,
every precious bit of it, in the incredible future that's coming." To
preview this section, see Video or Audio Clip 5 on our clips
page.
A closing promise: "One day we will have a tobaccofree society.
And, ladies and gentlemen, we're going to have it because of you
— you are the future!"
Space permitting, Mr. Reynolds encourages sponsors to invite members
of the local community to his middle and high school talks, and
to immediately follow with a Town Meeting about smoking, after students
return to class.
|
A
talk for universities, conferences
and community members
Tobacco Wars!
The Battle for a Smokefree
Society |
Tobacco is a truly important global issue: one out
of three people worldwide are currently addicted. As a result, in
coming decades smoking will kill 500 million people who have already
been born, according to the UN. This means that 9% of the present
world population will die because of cigarettes.
Tobacco
Wars!
The Battle for a Smokefree Society educates and inspires
college students, community members and health conferences. Interest
in Mr. Reynolds' talk among students, faculty, the community and
the local press has been strong.
This highly motivational speaker reaches the hearts and minds of
his audiences. Mr. Reynolds speaks vividly and movingly about his
memories his father's and eldest brother's deaths from smoking.
He
offers his insightful perspective on current tobacco issues, including
the influence of the special interests over Congress, the World
Health Organization's Global Treaty on Tobacco Control, the Federal
government's lawsuit against the tobacco industry, the cutting of
highly successful tobacco prevention programs by many States, and
the new wave of States which have recently passed Statewide 100%
smoking bans. He updates audiences on the state of tobacco control
in their State, and suggests what can be done to further change.
He closes with his promise and personal vision of the coming tobaccofree
society.
Mr. Reynolds informs audiences that the tobaccofree movement has
made its greatest progress at the local level of government, passing
hundreds of 100% smoking bans, and also in the Judicial branch.
But it has made almost no progress in Congress, and has had mixed
results in the 50 State Legislatures. He believes this has had much
to do with the millions the tobacco industry donates each year to
politicians' election campaigns, and makes a case for strengthening
campaign finance reform laws.
Time permitting Patrick enacts the touching and powerful story of
Sean Marsee, a young track star who died at 19 from chewing tobacco,
illustrated his story with shocking before and after overheads.
For comic relief, he shows hilarious overheads which make fun of
Joe Camel, in a hospital bed, and present Malboro Country as a group
of smokers huddled outside an office building's back door, getting
their nicotine fix.
He briefly discusses the other major addictions prevalent in our
society, such as drugs, alcohol, food, and more. "Looking at
the big picture, these national addictions we have are a way of
avoiding our pain, and changing our mood. But it's better to deal
with the problem at hand, instead of running away with diversions
like these," he says.
At colleges, reviving an ancient tradition, near the close of his
talk he initiates students into life. The core message here is,
"Most adults know that at times, life brings some pain. It's
designed to be that way.
"When
tough moments come, and they will, don't escape by using tobacco,
drugs, alcohol, or even food, music, or work, like so many adults
do. Instead, stay with the problem, talk to others about it, and
take steps to solve it. Talk to someone, whether a trusted
teacher, your parents, your friends or the school counselor. You
can do it!"
Finally he offers a closing promise — his inspiring vision
of the coming tobaccofree society.
After, there is a Q & A session, and if time permits, an informal
reception following the talk.
Mr. Reynolds combines educational aspects of his talk with highly
motivational and inspiring sections. This combination makes for
an uplifting, educational and unique lecture experience.
Patrick
Reynolds' appearances in the national media and before Congress
have made this grandson of tobacco company magnate R.J. Reynolds
an internationally known and respected advocate for a smokefree
society.
Mr. Reynolds saw his father, oldest brother, and other relatives
die from cigarette induced emphysema and lung cancer. Concerned
about the mounting health evidence against tobacco, in 1986 he became
the first tobacco industry figure to turn his back on the cigarette
business. In the words of former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop,
"Patrick Reynolds is one of the nation's most influential advocates
of a smokefree America." His book, THE GILDED LEAF,
published by Little, Brown in 1989, was a bestseller, and he founded
The Foundation for a Smokefree America in the same year.
A dynamic speaker, Mr. Reynolds entertains, educates and motivates
audiences. And the media coverage of his appearance will bring the
smokefree message to your entire community. Patrick Reynolds has
addressed Congress, State legislatures, major corporations, associations,
health conferences, universities, and high and elementary schools.
It is in the latter category that he now wishes to devote the majority
of his attention.
Patrick
Reynolds' appearances in the international press include profiles
by Time, Newsweek, AP, UPI, NBC's Tom Brokaw, CBS' Dan Rather, ABC
World News, CNN Headline News, and numerous features by the world's
major dailies. He has also made memorable TV appearances on Oprah,
The Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Larry King,
ABC's Nightline, Phil Donahue, Extra, Entertainment Tonight, and
numerous other national and international television and radio shows.
Reynolds'
program makes for great public relations for your group. He's an
ideal speaker for the Great American Smokeout Day, Red Ribbon Week,
your Health Awareness Week and World No Tobacco Day. Forward this
link to your Community Relations or Public Relations director, and
suggest they think about bringing Patrick Reynolds in to speak.
Mr. Reynolds has been called powerful, inspirational and motivating.
His dynamic talk makes a lasting impression, and media coverage
has been consistently positive and strong. Sponsors will build a
valuable bridge to their community.
Volunteer five
minutes
Make
one local phone call to a likely sponsor, to bring Mr. Reynolds
in to present a motivational talk in your city. Your phone call
proposing this idea may soon result in a live talk to youth or
adults, and you'll have made a difference in your community. Please
take a minute and look over our suggested
local sponsors and talking points.
Contact:
Lupe Lopez
(800) 541-7741