The Nobacco grant awarded a total of $10,000 last night to 16 campus groups that will plan tobacco-free programming for the Spring term.
The Nobacco grant, whose goal is to promote "tobacco-free living within the Dartmouth community through the funding of creative ideas, wacky programs, and fun activities that are tobacco-free" received 40 applications in February $36,000 for proposed ideas, programs and activities.
The Nobacco program is funded by a grant from Professor of Medicine Emeritus Thomas Almy and his wife, Katharine Swift.
"We're the parents of a daughter who died of cancer of the lung at age 49," Almy said. He and his wife decided to donate his daughter's life insurance fund to an anti-smoking campaign at the College.
A committee of Dartmouth Medical student Brian Herrick -- who conducted research on smoking at Dartmouth -- four undergraduate students and Community Heath Education Coordinator Katharine Coburn, chose the recipients of the grants.
"We discussed which events would promote these ideals of a tobacco-free life," committee member Gary Maslow '00 said. "And things that would be a lot of fun at Dartmouth."
The final list of programs will range from educational and community service activities to concerts, performances and parties.
The biggest and most important category of grants are the Nobacco parties.
"Most people who smoke, smoke at parties," Maslow said. "We want to promote a life style without tobacco."
Alpha Delta fraternity will hold a tobacco-free dance party with a band.
Riverbed, a six-member Dartmouth band, will have an open-air concert at Mount Mousilauke in May. It plans to transport 300 students to the concert, band member Chris Pandolphi '01 said.
Other Nobacco parties will include a step show party at Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity during Greek Key Weekend and a performance and party hosted by Sheba.
A second category of events are ones that aim to change the image that tobacco-use is "cool."
Among the winners was The Jack-O-Lantern, whose next issue will satirize tobacco and its use on campus.
Other winners included Bones Gate fraternity's Corporation of Engineers, which will restore a car with hydraulics, a stereo system and a professional paint job. Brian Hughes '99 will make Nobacco artwork that will be displayed throughout campus.
The third category, relaxation and healthy living events, will include Tae-bo lessons hosted by the East Wheelock Cluster and a Relaxation Day planned by Hillel and the Nathan Smith Society.
The Butterfield/Russell Sage Cluster will receive a piano as a stress-relief alternative to smoking, and Nobacco will fund the Cycling team, which will hold an intercollegiate road race.
In the fourth category, education and community service events, members of DREAM are acting as mentors to children in a housing development in White River Junction.
Road Rules will encourage Richmond junior high students and Dartmouth students to work together creatively to promote tobacco-free living, and Fusion will design skits to be performed during the breaks of their show to teach children about avoiding tobacco.
