Media Contact: John A. Stokes, (202) 673-2195

The DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) Teen Night program will host a Citywide Graduation BBQ for all 2009 graduates and celebrate World No Tobacco Day this Saturday, May 30, from 5 to 8 pm at the Trinidad Recreation Center, 1310 Childress Street, NE, in partnership with the DC Tobacco Free Families Campaign, and 93.9 WKYS-FM.

The World No Tobacco Day Graduation BBQ event will feature special activities, food, games, and live performances, including Quiksilver and Angie Ange from WKYS-FM broadcasting live from 6 to 8 pm.  Activities will include opportunities for youth to share with their peers reasons why they smoke or don’t smoke, an Anti-Smokin’ Spoken Word Showcase featuring poetry and rap, a design a warning label contest to design a fictitious warning label for cigarette packs, and a cigarette exchange table for youth who smoke to exchange their cigarettes for information on the harmful effects of tobacco smoke and a free CD.

World No Tobacco Day is celebrated around the world every year on May 31 and organized by the World Health Organization (WHO).  This yearly celebration informs the public on the dangers of using tobacco, the business practices of tobacco companies, what WHO is doing to fight the tobacco epidemic, and what people around the world can do to claim their right to health and healthy living and to protect future generations.

DPR Teen Night is a program of DPR's Office of Teen Programs for District teenagers ages 13 to 19 years old, held at various DPR centers throughout the year on Friday nights, 7 pm - 12 midnight.  Teen Nights are designed for young people by young people, with some assistance from DPR staff and involve any number of different recreational, leisure, social and cultural activities, in a safe and healthy environment.  DPR Teen Nights are supported by the American Lung Association of the District of Columbia as part of their DC Tobacco Free Families Campaign, and provides support for DPR's Teen Nights.  For more information about DPR Teen Programs call (202) 671-0423.

The DC Tobacco Free Families Campaign is a partnership of the American Lung Association of the District of Columbia, the DC Department of Health and the American Cancer Society, and is dedicated to encouraging smokers to quit and preventing DC youth from ever starting. By calling the Quitline, 1-800-QUIT-NOW, DC residents can take advantage of free counseling, nicotine patches and lozenges.