Smoke-Free Mohawk Valley and Reality Check closing its doors after 15 years

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By JOLEEN FERRIS

Story Created: Jun 19, 2009 at 3:31 PM EDT

Story Updated: Jun 19, 2009 at 5:41 PM EDT

UTICA, N.Y. (WKTV) - A local organization whose staff has spent the past 15 years educating local kids and adults about tobacco use is about to close their doors.

Smoke-Free Mohawk Valley and Reality Check have lost the ever-competitive battle for the ever-shrinking pot of state funding.

The grant they applied for went instead to the Madison County branch. While Vikki Smithson of the Oneida - Herkimer County office is happy the program's mission will continue, she's concerned about geography; whether the local people who need support to give up smoking will be able to get it.

"The community that knows where we are, that stop in and see if they need some brochures or if they need help with anything, that they're going to be taken care of; that's what bothers me. That's what bothers me the most."

The Herkimer County Smoke-Free Mohawk Valley office will close July 31st. Smithson stresses that until then, their services and all planned programs will continue.

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