Daytona Beach, FL - Jackie Robinson Ballpark announced during a Thursday press conference that it is becoming tobacco-free.
From now on, attendees, employees, and athletes will not be allowed to be allowed to use tobacco products at the facility. The State of Florida and Tobacco Free Florida is sponsoring the new rule. The announcement was made as part of the American Cancer Society’s Great American Smokeout campaign.
The following quotes are from speakers at the press conference:
Ryan Keur, President of the Tortugas:
- "This is a step in the right direction. As the only professional sports team here in Volusia County, here in Flagler County, it's our commitment to our community to be more than just a baseball team, but to be role models. And to use the platform that we've been giving with historic Jackie Robinson Ballpark to make a difference every single day."
- "Here in 2017 we will welcome about 175,000 people to this ballpark over the course of Daytona Tortugas games, Bethune Cookman games, concerts, charity runs, you name it. In 2018, we're looking to host a quarter of a million people. We want to have 250,000 people walk through these gates and every single one of them will walk through tobacco-free. That's something we're really excited about. I think we're moving in the right direction and we cannot thank you enough for the support."
- "This will help continue this great ballpark, which has been around for so long and continue, each and every year, to get better and better. That doesn't always happen in places when you have 100-year-old ballparks, that it continues to get better each and every year. This is something, with healthy environments, that we look to do each and every day."
Derrick Henry, Mayor of Daytona Beach:
- "Sincerely, on behalf of the residents of Daytona Beach, I'd like to thank the Tortugas for showing leadership. Each community thrives on great leadership from its corporate partners and those who make things happen. And I can't think of a better, more fitting form of leadership than to go smoke-free in a facility that pays homage to one of America's great athletes in Jackie Robinson."
- "[The Tortugas are] our only professional sports team. So it's a place where we come together as a community and our young people have to come here. And we are setting the example that we would like to see them take hold of. So I really want to say thank you."
Dr. Diana Lee, Chairperson of the Tobacco Free Volusia County Partnership and Director of Bethune-Cookman University’s Odessa Chambliss Center for Health Equity:
- "This is tremendous progress for our Volusia County. To be able to have a place like this, and to have the Daytona Tortugas support our community and our partnership, it really is a blessing."
Kristen Mialki, from the Florida Department of Health in Volusia County:
- "Thank you very much for being part of this and thank you for the support you provide in making our community a healthier place."
Amanda Hoch, One Voice Volusia’s Outreach Coordinator:
- "The biggest thing I want to share: Over the last three years, through our Friday Night Done Right activities, over 3,000 at-risk youths have attended sponsored events here at this park."
- "Over 600 kids were actually fed here, in this very pavilion. They got to meet Shelldon, they got to meet the baseball players that would come and walk around. And to hear them at their tables saying "I want to do that when I grow up" and "I want to stay healthy", you know, they're excited about taking pictures with Sheriff Chitwood. Those kinds of things are memorable here at this park."
Photo courtesy Blulz60 and Shutterstock.com.
Copyright Southern Stone Communications 2017.
