Forty-five individuals from the South Coast were honored at the kick-off of the "Ex-Smokers' Hall of Fame" in the McBratney Amphitheatre at St. Luke's Hospital in New Bedford on September 30, 2010. Their home towns included Acushnet, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Fall River, Assonet–Freetown, Lakeville, Marion, Mattapoisett, New Bedford, Raynham, Somerset, Wareham, Westport and Tiverton, R.I. The Ex-Smokers’ Hall of Fame was created to celebrate individuals in the community who have quit smoking. All of the members have stepped forward to encourage current South Coast smokers to quit and to inform them of the many resources available. The event also launched the one-of -a-kind multimedia campaign that will “tour” the South Coast throughout the next year. The Ex-Smokers’ Hall of Fame is a joint effort of the New Bedford Tobacco-Free Community Partnership, a program of Seven Hills Behavioral Health; Southcoast Hospitals Group; and the Massachusetts Tobacco Cessation and Prevention Program. Click here for the Herald News article and here for the Standard-Times article. For more information, contact Judith Coykendall at Seven Hills Behavioral Health, 508-995-3026, ext. 231. The new smokers' Quitline number is 1-800-Quit-Now (1-800-784-8669).

(Top row) Seven Hills Behavioral Health Partners for Clean Air director Judith Coykendall and Southcoast Hospital System's Vice-President of Marketing and Public Affairs Jim Rattray welcome the 45 inductees and the audience to the ceremony in the McBratney Amphitheatre at St. Luke's Hospital, including Richard Branco of Somerset, who has been smoke-free for 25 years. (Middle row) Virginia Genna-Davis of People, Incorporated's Diabetes Association program is applauded along with the other inductees before viewing a short video presentation about their experiences with quitting smoking. (Bottom row, left and center) Maggie Greeley-Norton, Darlene Rioux and Maureen Rogers see their photos on the traveling display for the first time. (Bottom row, right) Ex-smoker Robin Chretien of Fall River gets assistance with her button from Partners for Clean Air staff member Dawn Nicholson.