At the annual Recognition Event this year, the Coalition honored City of Buffalo Housing Court Judge Henry Nowak and University District Common Council Member Bonnie Russell with the Leonard Pleasant – New Voice Club Tobacco Free Advocate of the Year award.

This award was created by the Western New York Tobacco Free Program in recognition of Mr. Leonard Pleasant who passed away in 2008.  Leonard Pleasant and New Voice Club members have spoken to thousands of youth and adults about the dangers of smoking.  This award symbolizes the hard work, dedication and drive New Voice Club members exhibit in their effort to help people stop or never start smoking.  As a New Voice Club member, Mr. Pleasant’s mission to decrease the prevalence of tobacco use in our society will continue through the work of others like him. 

The  Award recognizes local individuals, for their exceptional and innovative contributions to tobacco control initiatives that lead to positive and effective reductions of illnesses or deaths among adolescents and adults throughout NYS. 

For those reasons, we presented this award to Council Member Bonnie Russell and Judge Henry Nowak for their dedication and hard work toward reducing tobacco use in the multi-unit housing and throughout our community.