McKenna Hardee is the winner of the
2008 Tar Wars poster contest and
she is a fifth grader at River Valley
Elementary School in Meridian.
Success of Tar Wars
Click here to read the article
For more information contact
Peggy or Neva for information:
(208) 323-1156 or (208) 484-3119
Join the Race for a Healthy Life
Positive Effects of Not Smoking
McKenna Hardee,
River Valley Elementary School,
Meridian, Idaho
The Tar Wars Program is indebted to the many volunteers who so graciously give their time to
present this important tobacco-free message to our youth. THANK YOU to all the all the doctors,
dentists, dental assistants and hygienists, nurses, physician assistants, nurse practitioners,
medical students, family medicine residents, and the race car drivers and bull riders--to all the
wonderful people who help make Tar Wars successful--THANK YOU!
Complete your evaluation and sign up form online.
The runners up are Caleb Dudley from Tracy Slee’s class at
Cole Valley Christian School in Boise, and MacKenzie Leslie
from Cheri Warren’s class at Ridge Crest Elementary in Blackfoot.
What is Tar Wars? A pro-health national children’s tobacco
education program and poster contest.
Who is Tar Wars
for? Fifth graders
What is its goal? To discourage tobacco use among Idaho’s youth.
How is this achieved? Through education and community involvement.
EDUCATION: Health care professionals become teachers for one hour as they present the Tar Wars lesson.
The lesson focuses on the short-term effects of tobacco use, the reasons people use tobacco, and the images
that tobacco companies use to market their products.
The IAFP Foundation sponsors the “Smoke Free 83” stock car for the 2005 race season, promoting the
Tar Wars message. Watch for the “Smoke Free 83” car at the Meridian Speedway and other raceways around the state.
John Peterson started racing the #83 Mini Stock at Meridian Speedway near Boise Idaho in 2002.
Shortly after that first season he quit tobacco after 16 years with the help of a tobacco cessation
class sponsored by the state of Idaho. After a few months without tobacco, the "Smoke Free 83"
idea was created with the goal of using the racecar to convince other users to try again to quit.
With the help of Tar Wars, racing is also helping young fans see that not using tobacco is the cool choice.
In 2004, the Smoke Free 83 moved up to the Late Model Lite / Pro 4 class and took the tobacco free message across Idaho.
For 2006, the team will be on the road even more throughout Idaho and Utah. They’re also planning to stay busy away from the track with Tar Wars presentations.
Contact Idaho Tar Wars at (208) 323-1156 or IDTarwars@aol.com The 2008 Tar Wars Calendars are available.
If you would like a calendar and are not on our mailing list, contact Peggy at IDTarWars@aol.com.
