News and Events

Tobacco Free Partnership of Dixie County Hosts Annual Leadership Meeting
August 29, 2025

The Tobacco Free Partnership of Dixie County held its annual Leadership Meeting on August 29, 2025, in Old Town, Florida. Partnership Chair, Lola Butler, who has served since 2018, and Amanda NesSmith, Co-Chair since 2020, met with Tobacco Free Florida Provider Melanie Anderson to review priorities for the upcoming year.

The agenda focused on the 2025–2026 Dixie County Workplan, highlighting policy areas and activities where the partnership will continue to provide support:

Tobacco Free Schools – The partnership will work with Dixie County Schools to strengthen implementation of the School Board’s Tobacco Free Schools Policy. This includes helping schools establish clear procedures to provide cessation resources for both students and staff.

Tobacco Free Parks and Beaches – The partnership will assist the Town of Cross City in carrying out its Tobacco and Vape Free Parks Ordinance and will prepare youth and members to advocate for including vaping in the Dixie County Smoke-Free Parks and Beaches Ordinance. Members also researched Horseshoe Beach Community Park, which is owned by the Dixie County School Board and already falls under its tobacco-free policy. To better protect youth, the partnership will ask the School Board to post Tobacco and Vape Free signage at the park.

Emerging Policy Areas – New initiatives this year include Tobacco Free Multi-Unit Housing, monitoring mobile tobacco retailers, and promoting Tobacco Free Organizations. Members also suggested working with the Suwannee River Youth Livestock Fairgrounds/Arena to develop a tobacco and vape free policy for all events held there.

The meeting also highlighted updates from the Dixie County Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT) Chapter, which will expand to three clubs this year: Character Community SWAT, Dixie County Middle/High School SWAT, and the new Ruth Rains Upper Elementary SWAT. Planned activities include observing Not a Lab Rat Day, participating in the Turkey Trot, and hosting a middle school dance. The partnership expressed excitement to support these youth-led initiatives.

The Leadership Meeting concluded with planning for the Quarter 1 Partnership Meeting on September 22 at 2:00 p.m. at Dixie County High School, organizing the annual partnership assessment, and developing an onboarding document for new members, led by Chair Lola Butler.