April 24th our Mountain Heritage TRU Voices Club will be hosting a TRU Training with Question Why/Youth Empowered in Yancey County.  I am currently working on planning all the little details for the event.  As far as I know, Question Why is trying to get at least 2-3 other counties involved in this training.
Right now, I would like to know what your needs as club members are such as, what area do you feel you need more training in?
This will be a day training and I have a few places in mind but have yet to designate one!
I look forward to input from members and if any member wants to help with planning and such please let me know!

~ Kirby

Threw With Chew Week is coming up! February 14th through the 19th we celebrate Threw With Chew Week.  This week promotes the campaign to decrease spit tobacco use and increase awareness of the negative health effects of using these products.
During this week the Great American Spit Out will also be observed which is dedicated to promoting smokeless tobacco users to quit for a day and for a life time. 
TRU Voices Members: Let's take a stand against spit tobacco use and smokeless tobacco! So many teens within our school and community use these products and might choose to during their lifetime and we need to educate them and help them make the right choices! 

Kick Butts Day will be on March 24th.  On this day thousands of youth will stand out, speak up and take a stand against tobacco use! We want to get the word out about quiting tobacco use for good!
Kick that cigarette butt to the curb for good and while you're at it, kick that can of tobacco out the door as well!
TRU Voices Members: Today we really need to shine and help others find out how they can kick the habit! We need to let our voices be heard! Let's plan some great activities for this day!

Tobacco Free Awareness Week will be January 25th through January 29th.  This week is dedicated to promoting a tobacco free lifestyle and creating awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco use.
TRU Voices Members: Let's try to come up with original and fun ideas to use throughout the week to celebrate this event!
Get creative, have fun, and let's see what we can do!

Our 1st Annual TRU Winter Party @ Kirby's for Saturday January 16th has been cancelled due to the possibility of adverse weather and road conditions @ Kirby's house.  The party will be rescheduled around the end of March when hopefully we have made it through the worst of winter.

Oct 26th - Oct 30th is TRU WEEK!!! This will be a fun week, jam packed with club activities and all kinds of information!
Monday = What's TRU? On this day we will spread the word about TRU and our TRU Voices Club.  Wear your TRU T-shirts! We'll let everyone know what we are about! Today would be a good day to pass out some of those TRU Flyers and Pens as well as mousepads!
Tuesday = Tobacco 101!  Here we will inform everyone through resource tables and such about the harmful effects of tobacco use and let them know what it's about!  We need to make a jar of phlegm, tar, and whatever else you feel makes other stop and think!
Wednesday = Cessation!! We are all for cessation and what better way to promote it than Quitline NC! We will hold Cessation Resource tables as well as locate spots for Quitline NC info and hand out magnets to teachers and staff!
Thursday = Environment! Let's tell everyone how bad tobacco is for the environment.  We will set up a resource table and hopefully hold a school-wide envriomental scan that invites teachers and faculty and other non club members to join in!
Friday = Media Literacy! Today we will expose the motives behind tobacco advertising! We will have a resource table and make sure to have lots of example of advertising and the media targeting youth and tobacco sales.

I look forward to a fun week, as should you!  I have a sign up sheet/poster in my office for all of you to come by and sign up one for the week's activities!!!!

Come see me!

~ Kirby Troutman
Tobacco Prevention Grant Coordinator
TRU Voices Leader/Sponsor

Watch for the Yancey Common Times Journal on Wednesday October 14th.  You will see our article about the Cigarette Litter Clean-up we did on October 3rd in it along with a picture of the group from In the Garden.  Make sure to check it out!   

Saturday October 3rd TRU Voices will do a Cigarette Butt Clean-Up/Environmental Scan day around the  Burnsville Town Square and Mainstreet Shops areas. 
All those who would like to be involved, we will meet/gather around 11:30 AM at In the Garden (which is located in between the Hilltop and the Yancey Theater).  From there you will divide into groups and with your Activity Report Sheets in hand, gloves, and butt containers you will scan the designated areas for cigarette butts and litter.
When you are finished, report back to In The Garden to hand in your results, get some apple cider, and discuss your findings!
Wear your TRU T-shirts if you have them!!! We will take pictures so bring cameras if you like as well! After the event, we will write up an article about our activity and send it to the Yancey Journal!

I think it shall be quite a fun day!! Hope to see all of you that can make it there Saturday!
If you have any questions please see me!

~Kirby Troutman

Come out and help with Tackle Tobacco Night at our home game against Polk Friday night October 2nd!
Make an announcement, help out with the resource table, be tobacco spies and do non-confrontational surveillance....or do a bit of each!
Please see Kirby Friday before the event to receive your free ticket pass.  If you have a pass already, belong to a faculty member, or are involved with band/cheerleading/footbal/other then you do not have to worry about having the free ticket.  IF YOU LOSE YOUR FREE TICKET, YOU MUST PAY YOUR WAY IN.
Make sure to check in with Kirby when you get there! If you DO NOT SIGN IN or DO NOT RECORD ANYTHING AND TURN IT IN YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE POINTS ;).

Above all, we shall have fun!!

Since Monday September 7th is Labor Day and school will not be in session, there will not be a TRU Voices Club meeting on that day.
The TRU Voices Club will instead meet on Wednesday September 9th immediately after school in the cafeteria. All members who plan to be involved in Tackle Tobacco Night on Friday Setpember 11th need to be at Wednesday's meeting to prepare for Friday!  Contact Kirby if you want to participate in Tackle Tobacco Night

The first home football game at MHHS will take place Friday September 11th. The TRU Voices Club will be holding a Tackle Tobacco Night that evening.  During Tackle Tobacco night, club members will be setting up a table at the stadium entrance with information on 100% Tobacco Free Schools Policy, Quitline NC, and the MHHS TRU Voices Club.  Club members will also be making P.A. announcements each quarter to remind our fans and visitors that MHHS is a 100% Tobacco Free School.  Throughout the game, club members will divide up into teams and do non-confrontational surveillance among the crowd to see if everyone is in compliance of the 100% Tobacco Free Policy. 
It will be a fun night and all club members who plan on attending need to contact Kirby as soon as possible. 

The TRU Voices Club will meet every Monday evening immediately after-school in order for our athletes and others who are involved in various after-school activities to have a chance to attend the meeting and still make various activities and practices. All students are welcome to join!!!
If you are unable to attend a meeting please please please contact Kirby Troutman (Ms. Troutman) or come by her office in the English Department to receive information about the meeting as well as activity points.