News and Events
The Tobacco Free Partnership of DeSoto County and DHS SWAT Youth Educate Parents and Children at Jim Space Park for Tobacco Free Florida Week
May 11, 2017
In honor of Tobacco Free Florida Week in DeSoto County, DHS SWAT Youth and TFP members set up an informational booth at Jim Space Park Complex on May 11th. The TFP and SWAT Youth decided the park was a wonderful place to raise awareness due to so many community members complaining about the amount of tobacco use at our city parks and recreational facilities.
DHS SWAT Youth and TFP members enjoy educating park visitors
on the dangers and cost of smoking.
Jim Space contains a large playground, adult softball fields, and little league softball fields. A booth was set up right in the entry of the park, so all visitors had to walk by the booth to enter. Children really enjoyed coming up to the booth to see all the hands-on materials available and learning about the dangers and cost of smoking. During the event, TFP members and SWAT Youth walked around the park educating visitors. Overall, the event was a great success. We had countless parents stop by the booth to share stories and thank us for our hard work. There was not one parent who objected the idea of tobacco free parks within our community.
Setting up at a popular park, an area meant to promote physical activity and health, helps get parents and children engaged and enraged about the harms of tobacco use. Our mission is to continue spreading awareness on these dangers, with future hopes of implementing tobacco free policies in our city owned parks and recreational facilities.
