News and Events
Local Senior Resource Center Scheduled to Become a Tobacco Free Campus
August 19, 2013
VERO BEACH – The Senior Resource Association (SRA), beginning September 1, will become a tobacco/smoke free campus at their Vero Beach and Sebastian with the help of the Tobacco Free Partnership of Indian River County.
The Senior Resource Association and the Tobacco Free Partnership of Indian River County conducted of a photo opportunity for all media and related agencies on August 19 at the Vero Beach SRA campus.
Pictured from L to R: Karen Deigl (CEO of SRA), Leslie Spurlock (Indian River County Tobacco Prevention Specialist), Doris Butler (Tobacco Free Partnership/United Way), and Cheryl Stephens (SRA HR Director).
Tobacco related diseases are the leading cause of death in Florida. Both smokers and nonsmokers are affected. Toxins in secondhand smoke can cause heart disease and lung cancer in nonsmokers. Breathing secondhand smoke has an immediate effect on blood vessels, potentially increasing the risk of a heart attack. Everyone, even smokers benefit when businesses become tobacco/smoke free.
“We decided to make our organization a tobacco and smoke-free campus to provide a healthy environment for our clients and staff,” shared Karen Deigl, President and CEO of the Senior Resource Association. Tobacco-free policies create a safer, cleaner, and more productive workplace. Healthier workers miss less work, are more productive, and their health care costs are less.
Adopting a tobacco/smoke free policy does not mean that smokers are required to quit or are not welcome employees. On the contrary, many smokers also embrace a smoke free environment and find it encourages them to cut back or quit.
Employees interested in quitting will be supported by the SRA and the Florida Quitline and can call 1-877-822-6669 for assistance or speak to the SRA Human Resource Director at 772-469-2053 for further information.
The Tobacco Free Partnership is available to assist businesses and organizations who wish to strengthen or implement a tobacco free policy in the workplace. For more information call 772-577-3701.
For more information about the Senior Resource Association, visit www.seniorresourceassociation.org or call 772-569-0760.
