Reality Check Participates In Hollis Harvest, While Parents Support Tobacco Control Efforts

OSWEGO TOWN – Reality Check recently participated in this year’s Oswego City-County Youth Bureau’s annual Hollis Harvest.

In addition to trick or treating at cabins, youth had the opportunity to participate in a variety of fall games, pumpkin carving and arts and crafts.

While children were participating  activities, parents were educated on the tobacco industry’s marketing efforts to recruit youth as replacement smokers.

Tobacco use continues to be the number one cause of preventable death in the United States, killing 480,000 Americans yearly.

Parents, adults, elected officials and community members were encouraged to sign Reality Check’s “We’ve Seen Enough” poster that will be sent to the Oswego County Legislature to demonstrate the importance of tobacco prevention in our community.

Reality Check is a youth led action movement with the main goal of exposing the advertising and marketing practices of the tobacco industry.

Reality Check of Cayuga, Onondaga and Oswego counties is looking for youth 13 to 18 interested in making a difference in their community and across NYS.

Members meet new people, make friends, learn public speaking skills, effective communication, advocacy, and problem solving skills while having the opportunity to work along side community partners and elected officials.

Furthermore, Reality Check provides volunteer experience that can be used on college applications, resumes and employment applications.

Reality Check members meet monthly in each of the three counties for planning, training and participation in community activities.

Interested youth should contact Kathleen A. Knopp-Haney, RC coordinator for Cayuga, Onondaga and Oswego counties, at 315-343-2344 #23 or via email at [email protected] for an application.

Reality Check is funded by the New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Tobacco Control.

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