Mega Doctor News
Harlingen, TX – For the second year in a row, the Tobacco Prevention and Control Coalition of Cameron and Willacy Counties is hosting its 7th Annual KidsFest virtually. The event aims to educate youth and teens on tobacco use prevention while engaging in a variety of fun alternative activities to live healthy, drug-free lifestyles. The three-day virtual event takes place August 3rd to August 5th via Zoom sessions. Tobacco prevention specialist Sarah Garcia, who is organizing the event, wants to do something fun for youth affected by the pandemic and accompanying challenges. “We’re setting out to show the youth the importance of leading healthy, drug-free lifestyles.”
KidsFest presenters are providing an assortment of topics, from craft activities to help keep children occupied and fostering creativity and imagination, to self-esteem talks and how to be good peer leaders. “We’re looking forward to see the youth participating in all the fun activities we have planned,” says Marcus Puente, tobacco prevention specialist with the TPCC. “One thing we’ll be sharing this year is the impact of tobacco on the environment and the animals living around us. Nicotine is a strong poison and affects more things than people realize.”
Joining the Coalition is collaborative partners Reber Memorial Library in Raymondville, the Harlingen Public Library, Driscoll Health Plan, the Behavioral Health Solutions Youth Prevention programs, and the Coalition members sharing their experiences and expertise pertaining to youth tobacco prevention. For more information on upcoming Coalition activities, contact Sarah Garcia at (956) 689-2733 or smgarcia@bhsst.org, or Marcus Puente at (956) 423-0018, ext. 13 or mpuente@bhsst.org.
The mission of the Tobacco Prevention & Control Coalition is to promote and advocate for a tobacco-free environment by empowering communities to affect individual and social change and promote compliance and support for enforcement of all tobacco laws.
For more information about the Coalition, or to become a volunteer, please visit our website at www.unidadtpcc.org. You can also join our efforts through our social media at Facebook.com/unidadtpcc, Facebook.com/bhsofsouthtexas, Twitter.com/bhsst, and Instagram.com/bhsst