Groups say no to tobacco money

Glens Falls Post Star Published on 12/02/2006

By DAVID IMAN II
diman@poststar.com

GLENS FALLS -- Twenty-six businesses and nonprofit organizations were recognized Thursday night for promising to refuse grants and sponsorships from tobacco companies.

They are all participating in the "No Thanks, Big Tobacco" program by refusing money from tobacco companies.

The program, in its first year locally, is an initiative of the state's Tobacco Control Program, which is administered by the state Department of Health.

In Saratoga, Warren and Washington counties, No Thanks is administered by the Southern Adirondack Tobacco-Free Coalition, which hosted the awards ceremony Thursday, said Margaret LaFrance, the coalition's program coordinator.

"The tobacco companies are trying to present themselves as good corporate citizens," LaFrance said. "Part of the way they do that is by giving grant money to nonprofit organizations" and businesses, she said.

Those honored at the Queensbury Hotel on Thursday night are the first to make the commitment, LaFrance said.

Among the honorees was the Adirondack Balloon Festival.

"One of our focuses all through the years is to stay non-commercial and to keep it extremely, extremely family-friendly," said Mark Donahue, vice president of the festival's board of directors.

The Saratoga County Fair Board, also honored Thursday, had a similar view.

"We believe in health and community. So that was an easy, easy mix for us," said Dick Rowland, the fair's general manager.

The fair has never directly accepted a tobacco sponsorship, but a rodeo organization that use to hold events at the Fair did, he said.

This year the fair board voted to ban the sale of tobacco products there, Rowland said.

The Myne Training and Boarding Facility in Argyle was one of the businesses that agreed to refuse tobacco sponsorships for its annual event, Responsible Dog Ownership Day, which is held in September.

"Smoking is harmful to animals," Myne co-owner Cheryl Marks said, adding there is "no smoking on my property."

Among the other honorees who received plaques Thursday are Caffe Lena, the Albany Saratoga Speedway, Nunzio's Pizza and Deli, the Adirondack Stampede Charity Rodeo, Daggett Lake Campsites, Woodstock Winds Balloon Co. and the Cambridge Valley Chamber of Commerce.

For the first time Thursday, the Coalition also gave awards for Outstanding Public Health Reporting, which went to Jim Scott of WCKM Radio, and an award titled Community Education and Media, which went to Dr. Chris Brockett of the Saratoga Veterinary Hospital.