From the February 6, 2003 edition of The Wayne Herald
Wayne FRIENDs group attends rally
Seven members of the Wayne FRIENDs Drug-Free Youth Group and middle school counselor, Joan Sudmann, attended the Teens Take On Tobacco Rally in Lincoln.
The event, which promotes tobacco prevention among young people, is sponsored by a coalition of health organizations that includes the American Cancer Society and the American Lung Association of Nebraska.
Over 400 teens from all over Nebraska attended the rally at Pershing Auditorium.
After three hours of educational presentations, energizers, skits and lunch, the group marched to the capitol steps where they were addressed by Nancy Thompson and Jim Jensen.
After the rally, the marchers assembled inside the capitol rotunda for a speech by Governor Johanns and then each group met with its own state senator.
The Wayne FRIENDs met with senator Pat Engel and talked with him about legislation affecting funding for tobacco prevention efforts and also about a bill that would require restaurants to be smoke-free.
The students appreciated Senator Engel's willingness to take time from his busy schedule to meet and speak with them about his views on tobacco-related policy issues.
The students are planning to bring the smoke-related messages back to the students of Wayne.
