Win a Smoke-Free North Shore Prize Pack from @quitnowbc and @hummingbird604
I hate smoking. I actually don’t smoke, but when I say I hate smoking, I mean it. I can’t stand second-hand smoke, and it’s a deal-breaker when it comes to anyone I have ever dated. In fact, I have never dated anyone who smokes. In 1999, I lost my Aunt to lung cancer, and she was a life-long smoker. Both my parents used to be smokers, and despite having been shaken by my Auntie’s passing, I think what really triggered my parents’ quitting smoking was exercising. As I mentioned in a previous blog post, both my parents took on respectively swimming (my Dad) and yoga (my Mom). After exercising for a while, they realized they couldn’t do it unless they had better respiratory abilities. So they quit smoking.
I’ve been approached by Quit Now BC (a non-profit, wellness-and-health program by the British Columbia Lung Association) with a giveaway to promote their Quit Now And Win contest (you should totally check it out – in addition to better lung health, you could win a substantial cash prize!).
With more than $20,000 in prizes, a 24/7 network of online and telephone support and a whole community of people providing advice and encouragement, the 3rd Annual QuitNow & WIN contest is a great way to motivate BC smokers to commit to quit.
Luckily, Grouse Mountain decided to partner me for this Quit Now BC contest, and in addition to them I have partnered with another fantastic couple of organizations (Capilano Suspension Bridge and the Lonsdale Quay Hotel) who will be giving away additional prizes to not one, but TWO winners in my contest, thus creating two fantastic grand prizes.
To start you on a healthy, smoke-free life (or to celebrate your quitting smoking in the past 12 months), I am giving away 2 prize packs. Each prize pack contains:
- Grouse Mountain General Admission passes (2 per pack) to walk around, skate, snowshoe. (As a matter of fact, all of Grouse Mountain is now smoke and tobacco free.)
- Stay overnight at the Lonsdale Quay Hotel (1 night stay), recently renovated and one of the most beautiful hotels in the North Shore
- Passes to the Capilano Suspension Bridge (2 per pack) to witness the Canyon Lights if you visit before January 2nd, or just to visit the bridge and area after January 2nd, 2011.
This contest is open to residents of British Columbia 19 years of age or older (transportation to North Vancouver not included!):
- Current smokers who are considering quitting.
- Former smokers who quit in the past year (between December 2009 and December 2010).
- Family and/or friends of current smokers who would like to use the prize pack to encourage them to quit.
- Family and/or friends of former smokers (quitting in the past 12 months) who would like to use this prize pack to reward them for quitting
This is perhaps my most challenging contest in that I have never smoked so I really have no clue of what to ask. I had to call upon 6 people (thanks Grace, Beth, Yvonne, Jen, Chris and Marc) to give me feedback on what to ask. So here’s the deal. You can enter the contest (if you are eligible as per the previous 4 elements mentioned) by sharing one of the following:
- A story of how smoking has affected you (or your family)
- If you already quit smoking, your story of how you quit – what made you quit, what steps did you take, etc.
- If you are a family member or friend of someone who smokes, how would you encourage someone to quit smoking (what would you tell them)
- If you are a family member or friend of someone who has recently quit, a note of encouragement to stay smoke-free or a note of praise
I will be drawing TWO winners, one for the folks who are in the “I already quit or I’m in the process of quitting” category and one in the family/friend category. You have until December 26th at 3pm (oh lovely Boxing Day) to enter my giveaway. Since my parents are both former smokers, I’ll have both my Mom and Dad draw one random winner from each category, by phone. I will be on a ferry headed to Nanaimo by then!
I’m really excited about this contest and I do hope it encourages folks to consider quitting smoking. When my parents quit smoking I was so incredibly happy, I wish I had had the chance to have this package to reward them! Very excited to support Quit Now BC, and thanks to Grouse Mountain, Lonsdale Quay Hotel and Capilano Suspension Bridge for (as always) partnering with me in contests and giveaways. Much appreciated!
Disclosure: All prizes are sponsored by the respective organizations mentioned above, in an effort to support Quit Now BC, a non-profit campaign by the BC Lung Association. I am not paid to run this contest, nor am I obligated to do so. I am the son of two former smokers and a big promoter of anti-cancer causes, so I thought this would be cool. As usual, feel free to contact me should you have any questions or concerns, via my Contact Form.
My brother has been smoking since he was 13 which is over 10 years now. To get him to quit I try not to preach but to explain to him that the things he loves to do (running, snowboarding) are going to get continually harder due to the effect of smoking on his lungs. I also try to explain that his quality of life suffers in all aspects as he is aging quicker than I am and I’m older than him! He’s starting to take it seriously now and hopefully he will quit soon.
I would like to use this to encourage my brother and his fiance to quit smoking. They will be getting married in August and it would be nice if they could enter their married life as two people with ever-clearing lungs.
I would give this package to them and tell them that the life they plan to have together would be so much sweeter if they weren’t killing themselves with smoking. These kinda of activities that are included in this package are great to do with their future children,so hopefully this will help them to think of how smoking will affect their future kids.
I have never been a smoker, but have had many friends and family members affected by smoking. I remember as a young child we had a good family friend who smoked like a chimney and had to start using portable oxygen daily. It was horrible. I still remember the day she passed away. My partner also used to smoke and he ended up quitting by taking the prescription drugs to quit. It was a rough ride for him and loved ones, because it made him quite grumpy but looking back on it now he wishes he never smoked at all. He is healthier and has saved a lot of money by quitting! If I won this wonderful prize, I would surprise my partner by taking him to grouse for a snowshoe adventure, then walk around Capilano to look at the Christmas lights then end the night at the Lonsdale Quay Hotel to congratulate him in achieving his goal of quitting! He would love it!
I have quit smoking! Many of my friends are smokers and started at a young age, so it was a social thing and seemed to be “normal” in our social circle. But as I got older and started spending time with different people who were non-smokers, plus society has changed its view on smoking, it became a lot more difficult to smoke around people, in public places, etc. I am feeling healthier and using the money I saved on entertainment.
I’m a smoker and would like to quit.
I want to quit because it’s an unhealthy habit. I smoke though to relieve stress.
I quit this year on January 4 to enter last year’s quitnow contest. I had smoked for 31 years and managed to quit only once for 2 months during that entire time. I quit cold turkey. I drank myself silly to a good solid hangover which took care of the first two days. The third day was hard. It was my time, smoking had grown into a boring and expensive hassle.
I quite in May of 2007 so that I could start my journey of health. I have 2 kids, Anika who is 8 and Matty who is 5. I want to be a positive role model for them as they become adults.
I have also helped others find ways for them to quite using clove cigarettes which allows people to continue to ‘smoke’ and lose the addiction to nicotine. Once that is gone you can stop smoking anytime.
I would love to use this as a celebration of me quitting smoking. It was a social habit I picked up relatively late in the game (as most people I know started in their teens). Needless to say, smoking a few cigarettes to be social eventually became a daily thing. To be frank, I started when I came out of a long-term relationship and all the boys would go outside and have a cigarette so I would join them.
I am now engaged to the loveliest man and he is a non-smoker. This has been the kick I’ve needed to get rid of this habit … I’m glad to say this phase is now behind me. The even better part is, we are in a long distance relationship (me in Vancouver, him in London, UK) and he will be coming to Vancouver for 3 weeks in January.
This fun time outdoors would be a marvelous getaway for us to enjoy the fresh BC air and be active, something I struggled with when I was still smoking.
P.S. If anyone is curious, I quit by first smoking flavoured tobaccos and found that I actually enjoyed them. Then it got to the point I didn’t need the nicotine anymore and then I just stopped. Going through a flu also helped …
Good luck to anyone who resolves to quit smoking in the new year, it’s worth it!
UPDATE – Winner of the “family or friends” category is Jen, winner of the “I recently quit smoking” is Katherine (both drawn randomly using Random.org). Congratulations! And to all of you who quit, I am proud of you all. I wish I could give everyone a package like this to celebrate! All the best in the New Year