The Lung Association Honours its Outstanding Volunteers

The Lung Association Honours its Outstanding Volunteers

Saskatoon, November 9, 2012 - Saskatchewan residents have a rich history of volunteering and community involvement and that holds true for the Lung Association of Saskatchewan (LAS). "We have relied on the work of our volunteers since we opened our doors in 1911 and that is the same today," says Dr. Brian Graham, the Lung Association's President and CEO. "Without our volunteers it would be impossible to provide the programs and services that the residents of Saskatchewan have come to rely on from the Lung Association."

Recently a number of our volunteers have received public recognition for their volunteer contributions and we would like to share their accomplishments. Dr. Frank Scott, who is currently the Chair of our Board of Directors, was presented with the Caring Canadian Award by His Excellency, the Governor General of Canada.

Dr. Frank Scott has been a member of our Board of Directors for 39 years! It is not possible to recount the number of volunteer hours, expertise and passion that Dr. Scott has provided to the Lung Association. In addition to his participation on our Board of Directors as Chair, Dr. Scott: represents Saskatchewan on the national board of the Canadian Lung Association (CLA); is the Chair for the Research Review Committee for the LAS; and past chair of the national Research Committee of the CLA.

His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnson, Dr. Frank Scott, Her Honour the Right Honourable Vaughn Solomon Schofield

He is a physician who immigrated to Loon Lake in 1962 and has been helping people to have healthy lungs since that time. He has always been a strong proponent of tobacco cessation and provided leadership in this critical area in the early years of tobacco control. His conviction and determination to make changes have contributed to the proliferation of smoke-free spaces and tobacco controls that we enjoy today.

Dr. Scott has worked with the Lung Association to develop and implement significant community health programs. From 1988 to 2004, for example, he was a perennial volunteer of the Lung Association's Discovery Asthma Camp where he provided support to the medical team. As a licensed pilot and small aircraft owner, Dr. Scott was the camp's flying doctor and could be counted on to give the campers an airplane ride. It is our honor to congratulate Dr. Scott on his well-deserved Caring Canadian Award.

Next, it is our pleasure to recognize our Youth Ambassadors, Brooke Kleiboer, Aiden May, and Jesse Miller, who are the recipients of CLA National Youth Award. This award is for outstanding dedication and commitment to lung health and is awarded to a young person whose personal activities and/or leadership are considered instrumental in advancing the activities of the Association. Our young recipients are very deserving of the CLA Youth Award as they have generously volunteered their time on weekends and after school to engage school students in learning how to value and protect their lungs.

Aiden May and Brooke Kleiboer

The Youth Ambassador Team was formed in 2011 after the LAS invited school students to assist in the development of lung health programs for schools. The students provided many valuable ideas for program development but went beyond that to become role models for their peers - a responsibility they take seriously. They are featured in our posters and health education materials used in schools.

Some of the activities that our Youth Ambassadors have participated in include: last fall in Moose Jaw, they did an outstanding job presenting the tobacco-free and healthy lung message to over 700 of their peers in grades 6 to 9 from schools in Southern Saskatchewan; for the last two years they participated in the Community Youth Challenge and attended Saskatchewan Roughrider home games and promoted the Lung Association by handing out Lung tattoos; they participated in two postcard advocacy campaigns directed at the provincial and federal governments regarding tobacco control; and the Youth Ambassador Team have been articulate in media interviews, giving The Lung Association the voice and face of youth.

It is our honor and delight to congratulate Saskatchewan's three ambassadors, Brooke Kleiboer, Aiden May, and Jesse Miller, who have jointly received the top honor in this national competition!

About The Lung Association

Established in 1911, The Lung Association is Saskatchewan's oldest and most respected health charity. We are the leading organization for science-based information, research, education, support programs, and advocacy on lung health issues in Saskatchewan.

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For more information contact:

Dr. Brian Graham
President and CEO
(306) 667-3001
brian.graham@sk.lung.ca

Jennifer Miller
Vice President – Health Education
(306) 667-3005
jennifer.miller@sk.lung.ca