SUCCESS STORIES

Alliston Soccer Mom A Tobacco-Free Champion

Alliston soccer mom Wendy Dodd is a tobacco-free champion. As the volunteer secretary for the local soccer club she was anxious to help her children grow up tobacco free. It didn’t make sense to her to bring her kids out to soccer games and then see people smoking on the sidelines. She decided she needed to do something about it. She approached the club and asked them to adopt a tobacco-free sports policy for the organization.

By designating the club as a Tobacco-Free Club everyone associated with the club -- including parents, coaches, officials and spectators -- were expected to be positive role models by keeping all soccer games, practices and related events tobacco free.

Wendy has also set her sights on the Town of New Tecumseth with plans to encourage it to expand its Smoke-Free bylaw for outdoor playground areas to include parks and playing fields.

Her work has earned her recognition as a Tobacco-Free Champion. The designation is awarded annually by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit to celebrate World No Tobacco Day (May 31) by recognizing community members and organizations whose efforts work to reduce the use of tobacco—the number one cause of preventable death and disease in Canada.

Submitted By Leslie Gordon, Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit