Stokes: Stay Home. Stay Safe. Save Lives. Stokes County Health Department.

For our series of Local People, Local Stories, Local Impact, we spoke with Tammy Martin, Health Director for Stokes County Health Department.

1009 North Main Street Danbury, North Carolina 27016

What are you and your agency doing to address COVID19 in Stokes?

“The Stokes County Health Department has been working to keep the community updated on all information that we receive related to COVID-19. When we do receive positive COVID-19 test results we do the contact tracing on these individuals. The Health Department is responsible for contacting all close contacts when we receive a positive test result. We have been in close daily contact with all long term care facilities to make sure they have all the supplies they need.”

During this time our nurses have been working hard to answer questions in the community and with our stakeholders.

Nurses Appreciation Week.

 

Stokes County Health Department is a Community Partner with the DIAPER BANK of N.C.

Stokes County infants and/or children can receive 2 packs of diapers and/or 3 packs of pull-ups MONTHLY. Wipes, diaper creams and lotions are also available. During the COVID-19 Pandemic the Health Department is offering curb side pick-up. Interested families can call the Danbury WIC Office at 336-593-2400 to request the supplies to be brought to your car. If you live in the King area please call the Danbury office as well to set up a time for pick-up in King. (The KING office is temporarily closed until June 1, 2020.)

Stokes County Health Department
1009 N. Main Street, Danbury NC 27016
336-593-2400 or 336-593-2402
Hours of Operation:
Monday-Thursday 8-5:30
Fridays 8-5

*Availability of diapers depends on current demand and supply provided by local Diaper Bank of North Carolina*
Stokes County Health Department is a partner with the Diaper Bank of North Carolina. Call 336-593-2400 for more information.

Why is it important that our community take these measures?

“At this time due to COVID-19 it is important to continue to social distance and wear a mask when out in public to protect yourself as well as others. The more we stay at home and limit our travel to just essential needs the better it is. Following the Governor’s orders will help us get back to our new normal as soon as possible.”

Please note that this is a temporary change for bread, milk and yogurt through May 31, 2020 related to COVID19. If you have any questions please call: Danbury WIC Office 336-593-2400

 

What is something positive you have seen in midst of chaos of COVID-19 as we navigate this together?

“Seeing the community stepping up to help people in need; through groups providing free cloth masks, support from both youth and adult civic groups to front line health workers, the public libraries offering free WiFi that can be accessed in the parking lot, the Stokes County School Nutrition Department providing free school meals. Local Government collaborating within community to make sure community stays safe.”

Girl Scout Troop 41655 brought a selection of Girl Scout cookies to support the efforts of Health Department staff.

Tammy Martin, Director Stokes County Health Department


Stokes: Stay Home. Stay Safe. Save Lives. Part 10.

We continue our series of Local People, Local Stories, Local Impact, with Taylor Furr, 4-H and Youth Development Agent from the Stokes County Cooperative Extension.

Taylor discusses how COVID-19 has impacted her work with 4-H & Youth Development and the innovative steps she is taking to stay connected with the youth of Stokes County.

1. What are you and/or your agency doing here in Stokes County to support our residents during COVID-19?

Stokes County 4-H is a youth development program where I, as the 4-H Agent, provide educational opportunities for the youth in our county. During this trying time, we have created a couple activities youth can be working on.

Taylor Furr is the 4-H and Youth Development Agent for Stokes County

We have a History Scavenger Hunt going on where youth can learn about 4-H while completing a fill in the blank form. You can find more information on our website at stokes.ces.ncsu.edu.

I am continuing to provide resources to teachers, such as our Embryology Program and the Steps to Health program. We are pre recording videos and sending them to the teachers so they can share it with their classes. Each week I will be posting an activity for youth and families to participate if they wish.

All of the summer youth activities hosted by the Extension Office have been postponed, cancelled, or moved to a virtual setting.

The Stokes County Cooperative Extension agents are working together to plan activities youth can participate in on their own at home this summer.

Be on the lookout for more information in the coming weeks.
If you have any suggestions or requests of activities you’d like to see, please reach out to Taylor Furr at taylor_furr@ncsu.edu. More information can be found at stokes.ces.ncsu.edu or our Facebook page.

2. Why is it important that our community practice self-care, for mental and physical well-being?

It is still important that we deliver relevant and trustworthy information to our citizens, but what has changed is how we deliver our information. We are working diligently to provide our community with knowledge through virtual platforms instead of face-to-face interactions. This way we are being good stewards of social distancing but still serving our community.

3. What is something positive you have seen in midst of chaos of COVID-19 as we navigate this together?

I personally have seen families who do not normally get to spend time together, being able to do that now. They are building connections, and making memories, and that is something to be thankful for during this time!

Taylor Furr, 4-H & Youth development for the stokes county cooperative extension
Click here for more information about the Stokes County Cooperative Extension.

Read our other entries in Local People, Local Stories, Local Impact here.

Stokes: Stay Home. Stay Safe. Save Lives. Part 9.

Our series of Local People, Local Stories, Local Impact continues with Matt Dotson, Founder and President of Rustic River Craftsman Foundation, a place where veterans can find a purpose.

These veterans discuss how COVID19 has impacted their purpose of engaging with other veterans and being #veteranstrong #communitystrong.

At Rustic River Crafstman Foundation for veterans, instead of going out and isolating, being depressed by yourself, come here. We can teach you woodworking, blacksmithing, we can give you a task and purpose that you are used to having. #veteranstrong

Rustic River Craftsman Foundation is a local organization for veterans struggling to adjust to civilian live.

RRCF provides a purpose and task for veterans who are returning and transitioning.

It is a resource center for veterans having problems with disability or dealing with life. It is a place where veterans can work or just be with buddies that understand.

This is a place where veterans come to work out issues, where woodworking serves as occupational therapy.

We asked Matt, “How has COVID19 affected Rustic River Craftsman Foundation?”

“Well we’re about a month deep into this and at first there was a lot of uncertainty and I guess we didn’t know if we were going to get pulled over on the way up here, if we were allowed to connect even if we kept our social distancing, we didn’t know what was going to happen so it was kind of a looming situation I guess.”

“The more veterans I can get in here and I can teach this concept to, the more veterans I can send back to their communities and that is how you ultimately make a big change”, Matt Dotson

“We had a fishing tournament scheduled here which involved a lot of other veterans, especially our Recreational Director, and one of the things we do here is provide purpose, like the fishing tournament, I know when I give that seed to that guy he’s going to water it, and for the next couple months or weeks whatever it is he’s going to be focused on that and that’s his purpose and when COVID came around the wind went right out of the sails.

It kind of sucks being president sitting back watching some guys motivation and confidence kind of diminish but at the same time there’s positivity, some things that happened we had a fundraiser my guys did all the work we did it online, we connected we made teamwork happen and honestly that’s what it’s all about.”


Eugene is a Marine Corp veteran and RRCF Recreational Therapy Director and was asked: “Can you think of something positive and uplifting during the uncertainty of COVID19?”

Eugene says, “I’ve never seen anything like this, especially in this area, that has got what we got for veterans”

“I mean look around, look where I’m at, I’m here now it’s 3pm on a Friday, I’m not at work and that sucks but I can always come here and see my buddies and see my bros, do some wood work, paint a little bit, talk about life stuff, talk about other peoples life stuff, cause I’m not the only person that has a problem.

All my buddies have problems and they’re free to vent to me and I feel good knowing I can come here and do that for them and just do that with them, that’s important.

I can’t name another place that I’ve ever seen, especially in this area, I’ve never seen anything in this area that’s got what we have here and offers what Rustic has offered me and brought me into, this is awesome.


Tony, Secretary and Mission Director for RRCF was asked: “How has RRCF supported you and other veterans during COVID19?”

Tony, Army and Navy veteran, utilizing woodworking to address PTSD.

“After the initial two weeks of everyone going crazy I realized how much this place means to me, because my PTSD was getting crazy, isolating at home and I realized that our doors are always open.”

“I started coming back up here and it really calmed me down. A lot of people still cant come into the doors which is sad because of everything going on but we reached out and did a sweatshirt and tee shirt drive and made some money for the foundation and that gave me a purpose, even when I was at home I could reach out and talk about Rustic River and help out the foundation”

Ranger, Tony’s service dog.

We asked Matt, “Why is it important for RRCF to be here for veterans during COVID19?”

“It’s real simple, people have to have a place to go. Every community has a YMCA, every community has a church, they have a school.

If I was a struggling veteran and I came up to you and asked, “where can I go?”, you would say VA (Veterans Affairs) and it doesn’t work that way. That is why it is important we are here, so my guys can come in they can have something to do and we can connect, we’re winning.

It’s the whole point, as long as there are 22 a day we’re open. Godspeed.” 
Matt Dotson, Founder and President of Rustic River Craftsman Foundation.
You can find Rustic River Craftsman Foundation on Facebook by clicking this picture.
THE VETERANS AT RUSTIC RIVER ALSO DO A LOT OF ACTIVITIES OFF THE PROPERTY. THEY GO HIKING, KAYAKING, TRAVEL TO FISHING TOURNAMENTS, RACES. IT’S ALL ABOUT PURPOSE AND AVOIDING THOSE DARK SPACES.

 

Providing veterans with a purpose.

 

 

The warehouse is a safe space to share feelings with fellow veterans.

 

Information above was taken from vidoes provided by RRCF to Stokes Citizens.

Read our other entries in Local People, Local Stories, Local Impact here.

Stokes: Stay Home. Stay Safe. Save Lives. Part 7.

We continue our series of Local People, Local Stories, Local Impact with Patti Snyder. She is a new mother, a Stokes resident and Family and Consumer Science Agent for Stokes County Cooperative Extension.

What are you and/or your agency doing here in Stokes County to address COVID-19?   

Our mission is to extend research-based information to the citizens of Stokes County. During COVID-19 our mission is still the same and we will continue to deliver knowledge that can be transformed into solutions that improve our community. 

It is still important that we deliver relevant and trustworthy information to our citizens, but what has changed is how we deliver our information. We are working diligently to provide our community with knowledge through virtual platforms instead of face-to-face interactions. This way we are being good stewards of social distancing but still serving our community. 

We have also transformed the Feed Stokes 5k/Half Marathon Race to an online platform. For those that have registered for the race, they can sign up for free and compete with others.
If you are not registered and would like to compete you can go to our facebook page, Feed Stokes 5k/Half Marathon and register.
All proceeds are split up between the three Stokes County Food Banks

Going from face-to-face contact to all online, is strange. Thankfully we have great organizations in the County who have each other’s backs. I have worked with so many great organizations to continue to provide content for our communities.

So far I have partnered with Cardinal Innovations to post line dancing videos and made bread in a bag with Stokes Arts Live. Additionally, myself and the City of King Parks and Recreation Director have taken our Friday morning walking group virtual as a way to encourage people to get outside and continue exercising.  

I have continued to send out resources to our teachers who were participating in our Steps to Health programming by sending out videos that they can send to the students. The children may not be in the schools, but this is no reason for them to stop learning about healthy foods and how to grow your own food.

Each week I plan to post information on our website that is helpful to our citizens of Stokes County. Click here to visit Stokes County Cooperative Extension.

Why is it important that our community take these measures?

I find it to be important to take the recommended measures, like social distancing, to keep ourselves and others safe. Personally, I have a young child at home, so following current recommendations helps reduce the risk of jeopardizing her health as well as mine.

What is something positive you have seen in the midst of chaos of COVID-19 as we navigate this together?

I have really enjoyed seeing more children and families playing outside. I have seen families start planting gardens, which for some may be a completely new hobby. I think it is exciting for them to explore new talents, like gardeningI know one positive for my family is we have found the time to do all of those home remodel projects we always talked about!

patti snyder, Family & consumer science agent, stokes cooperative extension
For more information about Family and Consumer Science programs available in Stokes County click here.

Read our other entries in Local People, Local Stories, Local Impact here.

Stokes: Stay Home. Stay Safe. Save Lives. Part 6

The latest in our series of Local People, Local Stories, Local Impact, we talked to Vicky East, Program Director for Senior Services in Stokes County about COVID-19 and how it has been impacting the services they provide senior citizens across the county.

The Advocacy Council To Seniors (ACTS) is a United Fund agency.
  1. What are you and your agency doing here in Stokes County to address COVID-19?

Currently our offices are closed to the public. We are currently accepting phones calls and we are providing essential transportation appointments. We are serving our most vulnerable clients Meals on Wheels by offering frozen meal delivery once per week. Meals are delivered Mondays for Walnut Cove, Danbury and Francisco. Meals are delivered Tuesdays for King.

ACTS holiday meal in Francisco

We are offering once a week frozen pick-up for our congregate clients. These are clients would normally attend the sites Monday- Friday for a program and lunch. We offer the same days for congregate pick-up as we do home meal delivery. We are staying in touch with all of our clients via phone each week. We are also giving each client care packets delivered with the meals each week.

  1. Why is it important that out community take these measures?

We are charged with the task of keeping our elderly population as safe and healthy as we possibly can. We are asking everyone to stay home and save lives.

Senior Services Staff with Santa at the last ACTS holiday meal.

It is so important for all of us to do our part and listen to those in charge. Remember you are safe if you are at home with your families. Staying home is important to keep our frontline workers safe so they may return to their families. Remember we are all in this together.

Senior Services serves the most vulnerable population. Much of our clientele suffer from other under lying health conditions. With this COVID-19 pandemic they are more vulnerable and would most likely not survive should they contract the virus.
ACTS holiday meal in Francisco
  1. What is something positive you have seen in the midst of chaos of COVID-19 as we navigate this together?

We have wonderful volunteers that help us deliver meals for our home bound Monday through Friday.

Walking Club from the Walnut Cove Senior Center walking at the Elder Abuse Awareness Walk

Most of these volunteers are over the age of 65 themselves but they did not hesitate when asked if they would come in once per week to deliver the frozen meal boxes to our most frail and needy clients. Not one of them said no. This group of volunteers go above and beyond always willing to step up and help.

I am humbled by their graciousness and their willing to do. They are extraordinary!!! Words cannot express how grateful we are to have this group of people work with us and care for our seniors.

Vicky East, Program Director Senior Services

If you can support Senior Services you can reach them at 336-593-8156

More on the Local People, Local Stories, Local Impact can be found here.

Stokes: Stay Home. Stay Safe. Save lives. Part 5

Continuing our series of Local People, Local Stories, Local Impact, we asked Amanda Smith, Member Engagement Specialist for Cardinal Innovations Healthcare, about COVID-19 and the impact it has had on the Stokes Wellness Center.

  1. What are you and/or your agency doing here in Stokes County to support our residents during COVID-19?
  2. Why is it important that our community practice self-care, for mental and physical well-being? 
  3. What is something positive you have seen in midst of chaos of COVID-19 as we navigate this together?

“We recognize that the effects of COVID- 19 are far reaching beyond just our physical health. The fear of contracting the virus, adapting to new routines, isolation and difficulties obtaining necessities can have profound effects on our emotional health. Supporting our members and our communities in maintaining their health and wellness is always our top priority.”

“In efforts to support the Stokes Community we have worked collaboratively with community partners such as Insight Human Services, the Stokes County Cooperative Extension, local artist Dianna Altrath and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Diana Bryant to provide ‘Virtual Wellness Programming’.”

Each day community members can access free programming that will range from line dancing, stress management education, arts and crafts and more by viewing our Cardinal Innovations FACEBOOK PAGE, TWITTER ACCOUNT or our blog.

“I have had the pleasure of working with these agencies and individuals on a regular basis in the community at our Cardinal Innovations Wellness Center in Walnut Cove before COVID-19 and am excited to have a new platform for them to share their knowledge, talents and abilities to those who may need it.”

“As an organization we are also sending out ‘Virtual Wellness Kits’ to community members that includes entertainment links, tips to talking with your child about COVID-19 and how to access community resources to address needs such as food insecurities. I am proud to say that we have also started the COVID-19 Relief Fund which is a grant that will fund the efforts of non-profits who are supporting those affected by COVID-19.”

As a Member Engagement Specialist, we are working closely with other departments within our organization, behavioral health providers and community members to ensure access to mental health, substance use and developmental disability services.

“We understand that navigating behavioral health resources can be difficult and COVID-19 has added complexity to this. We want our communities and the residents of Stokes County to know that we are committed to ensuring that you get connected to the behavioral health services that you need.”

“Now is more important than ever to connect people who may be experiencing a mental health crisis to the right help at the right time and place.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Access Line by dialing  **ASK and you will be connected with a licensed clinician.

This helps us to support our local community hospitals and keep our Emergency Rooms free for those who need them the most during the COVID- 19 pandemic. Please know that you are not alone and many people are struggling with adapting to all life changes large and small.

While COVID-19 has been a difficult experience for us as a whole, I am inspired by my colleagues, Stokes Community Partners and the Stokes Community at how far everyone will go to provide support to those in need. We truly are in this all together!”

Amanda Smith, a stokes county resident, member engagement specialist for cardinal innovations healthcare, stokes wellness center

OUR FIRST CONTRIBUTOR WAS DR. MICHELLE LINKOUS OF NOVANT HEALTH PEDIATRICS IN KING AND CAN BE FOUND HERE.
OUR SECOND CONTRIBUTOR WAS SHELLY GREENWOOD, MOTHER OF AN AT-RISK CHILD AND STOKES COUNTY RESIDENT AND CAN BE FOUND HERE.
OUR THIRD CONTRIBUTOR WAS DR. AMBER HAIRFORD FAMILY PHYSICIAN AND ASSOCIATE LEAD CLINICIAN OF MOUNTAINVIEW MEDICAL/PILOT MOUNTAIN MEDICAL CARE AND CAN BE FOUND HERE.
our fourth contributor was janna kiger, at-risk young adult and stokes county resident.
A COLLECTION OF OUR LOCAL PEOPLE, LOCAL STORIES, LOCAL IMPACT CAN BE FOUND ON OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH PAGE HERE.

Stokes: Stay Home. Stay Safe. Save Lives. Part 4

Our series of Local People, Local Stories, Local Impact, continues with Stokes County resident Janna Kiger. She is a young adult who is a part of the high-risk population for COVID-19 due to complications from Type A flu in 2019 that required open heart surgery.

  1. Why are you concerned about COVID-19 in Stokes County? 
  2. Why is it important to the at-risk population of Stokes County to take precautions regarding COVID-19? 
  3. What is something positive you have seen in midst of chaos of COVID-19 as we navigate this together?

‘In March of 2019 I ended up at  multiple hospitals including Duke University Hospital for 3 months because of Type A flu attacking my heart and lungs shutting down every organ in my body. I was put on complete life support. I am often asked if I had a flu shot prior to becoming sick and the answer is yes, every year. My doctors say that it helped me survive. That being said my past situation has really opened up my eyes to sickness and how quickly things can change, even among young healthy people.

During the last few weeks of COVID-19 being on the rise I have been on high alert and taking all the necessary precautions to help slow/stop the spread of this virus. I have avoided close contact with people, I have made sure I do proper hand washing and I have chose to quarantine myself.

Another reason why it is so important for myself and others to take these precautions so seriously is to help protect those who do have to work. My fiancé is a fireman and continues to work through this pandemic. I also have a brother who is a physical therapist, he is in contact with people daily.

I pray that his patients are honest with who they may have been in contact with, if they have any symptoms, and if they have been in quarantine. It is important that we think of each other during this.

My family has seen how devastating an acute sudden illness can be. I personally would not want to be the one responsible for causing someone else to contract such a terrible sickness.

I believe as a community we have really stepped up and worked together to help minimize the spread COVID – 19. Our community is small but we have rallied together once again and grown closer by helping one another in these times. It is uplifting to see so many people helping in so many ways.

I pray for healing and comfort for everyone. I pray for protection for the ones that are having to work. I pray that we can do our preventative part as a community and then let go of our fears and let The Lord handle this crisis.’

Janna Kiger, Stokes County resident and young adult who is high risk for COVID-19.

 

Our first contributor was Dr. Michelle Linkous of Novant Health Pediatrics in King and can be found here.
Our second contributor was Shelly Greenwood, mother of an at-risk child and Stokes County resident and can be found here.
Our third contributor was Dr. Amber Hairford Family Physician and Associate Lead Clinician of Mountainview Medical/Pilot Mountain Medical Care and can be found here.
A collection of our Local People, Local Stories, Local Impact can be found on our Community Outreach page here.

Stokes: Stay Home. Stay Safe. Save Lives. Part 3

In the latest installment of our series of Local People, Local Stories, Local Impact, we asked Dr. Amber Hairford, Family Physician and Associate Lead Clinician of Mountainview Medical/Pilot Mountain Medical Care, about the impact of COVID-19 she is experiencing.

  1. What are you and/or your agency doing here in Stokes County to address COVID-19? 
  2. Why is it important that our community take these measures? 
  3. What is something positive you have seen in midst of chaos of COVID-19 as we navigate this together?

“As a cornerstone of health in Stokes County, Novant Health Mountainview Medical has taken several steps to address COVID-19. We have canceled all “well patient” visits such as physicals and well child checks for now. We are also in contact with our routine scheduled visits to see if it is necessary for them to come in. We have opened up several virtual options for healthcare such as video visits, E-visits and telephonic visits and patients are strongly encouraged to use these options if possible.

if a patient calls with respiratory concerns, we are directing them to the Mountainvew Medical Extended Care clinic at 167 Moore Road in King.

We have a dedicated respiratory illness screening center here to keep sick patients in a centralized area.

The spread of the virus can happen in asymptomatic patients which has the potential to cause an exponential spread of the disease, as we have seen in the NC reported cases lately. It is important to stay home as much as possible and wash your hands to reduce transmission of illness.

Through all of this, those of us in the healthcare field have felt an overwhelming amount of concern from those around us. Our jobs expect us to be on the front lines of this pandemic, and that is where we choose to be. Whether it be helping with childcare, school assignments, prayer or just offering a happy text during the day, it is such an encouragement to feel the love and support from our community. I expect this will continue as the illness becomes more prevalent, and it is more appreciated than I could ever express.”

Amber Hairford, MD Family Physician and Associate Lead Clinician of Mountainview Medical/Pilot Mountain Medical Care

 

The first part of our series featured Dr. Michelle Linkous from Novant Health Pediatrics in King.
The second part of our series featured Shelly Greenwood, mother of an at-risk child and Stokes County resident. 
Both articles can be found under Community Outreach.

Key Messages for Pregnant Women During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Originally posted March 19, 2020 by Amy Hendricks, Program Coordinator for FASD in NC

We understand that the current state of the world is very confusing and stressful. COVID-19 is a new virus and we are still trying to determine how it spreads, the severity of illness it causes, and to what extent it may spread.
If you are pregnant, we also understand that might cause increased anxiety about all of the unknowns. Please keep the following in mind:
    • So far, limited information does not show that pregnant women have a higher chance of getting the virus or having more severe symptoms if they get COVID-19. Health officials will learn and share more information in the coming weeks.

    • Prevention measures are the same for pregnant women as they are for other people: wash hands often, avoid touching eyes/nose/mouth, avoid close contact with people who are sick, wipe down high-touch surfaces often, and practice social distancing. Contact your healthcare provider right away if you have symptoms such as fever with cough, fatigue or shortness of breath.

    • Online resources, such as MotherToBaby have evidence-based, up-to-date resources at mothertobaby.org  (specifically, Fact Sheet https://mothertobaby.org/fact-sheets/covid-19/ and Podcast http://mothertobabypodcast.libsyn.com/covid-19-in-pregnancy-breastfeeding)

 

Also, please refer to the CDC for additional information and updates.
Information provided by http://www.fasdinnc.org/key-messages-for-pregnant-women-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/

North Carolina Celebrates 10 Years of Smoke-Free Restaurants

Information provided by https://www.ncdhhs.gov/blog/2020-01-27/north-carolina-celebrates-10-years-smoke-free-restaurants

January marked the 10th anniversary of when North Carolina’s smoke-free restaurants and bars law went into effect. A decade later, the law remains the strongest in the Southeast.

When the restaurant and bar smoking ban was introduced as a new law in 2009, some feared the change could hurt North Carolina businesses, but the opposite has proven true. Subsequent studiesOpen PDF showed that smoke-free polices are not only good for public health, but also had no negative impact on hospitality industry revenues or employment levels.

Over the past decade, the smoke-free law has contributed to a decrease in emergency room visits for heart attacks and asthma, reduced pregnant women’s exposure to the dangers of secondhand tobacco smoke and contributed to a decrease in the number of lung cancer deaths.

“North Carolina has been serving up smoke-free air in restaurants for 10 years now,” said NCDHHS Chief Medical Officer and State Health Director Dr. Elizabeth Cuervo Tilson. “The next time you enjoy a smoke-free meal or celebrate with friends in a bar or brewery, you can thank your favorite restaurant or bar and your local public health department for the clean, healthy air. Good health is good for business.”

Arthur Gordon, who opened Irregardless Café in Raleigh in 1975, was one of the first restauranteurs in North Carolina to recognize the value of being smoke-free.

“Everything we knew was that smoking tobacco was harmful for your health,” said Gordon on the anniversary of the smoking ban. “Having the ‘chutzpah’ to go smoke-free has shown beyond a doubt to be the correct move.”

For more testimonies from North Carolina business owners, search #10YearsSmokeFreeNC on NCDHHS Facebook and Twitter.

A partner of the DPH Tobacco Prevention and Control Branch, QuitlineNC provides free cessation services to any North Carolina resident who needs help quitting tobacco use. For more information, visit www.quitline.com or call the 24/7 helpline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669).