Legacy Foundation recognizes Arkansan - March 23rd, 2009
The Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Arkansas honored Elroy Brown of Osceola in a press conference at the Capitol on January 16 to announce his receipt of an Honorable Mention awarded by the American Legacy Foundation. Brown received an Honorable Mention for the 2009 Community Activist Award for his work challenging tobacco in Mississippi County.
CTFA Executive Director Katherine Donald noted that the Legacy Foundation does not usually award Honorable Mention, but that Brown’s nomination was so strong, the organization decided to award the position for the first time.
Dr. Carolyn Dresler, Branch Chief for the Tobacco Prevention and Cessation program for the Arkansas Department of Health, said that Elroy’s work in his community is a model for TPCP grantees.
In accepting the award, Brown inspired the audience with the words of his former Arkansas State University football coach, Larry Lacewell. “There are three types of coalitions out there,” he said, “those that make things happen, those that wait for things to happen, and those that don’t know what’s happening. Along the way, I decided I was going to be one of those that made things happen.”
The American Legacy Foundation® is dedicated to building a world where young people reject tobacco and anyone can quit. The Foundation develops programs that address the health effects of tobacco use to encourage those who use tobacco to stop and to prevent youth from ever starting to use tobacco.
