Pesticide Reduction Kingston Receives Generous Donation

August 10th, 2005

For immediate release

Organizers and supporters of Pesticide Reduction Kingston (PRK) were taken completely by surprise by one of the first major donations to be made to PRK's campaign.

When the Professional Association of Internes and Residents of Ontario (PAIRO) asked Dr. Ted Ashbury, an anesthesiologist at Kingston General Hospital, to which organization he wanted to donate his $1000.00 teaching prize, his choice was Pesticide Reduction Kingston.

"The pesticide issue in Kingston is such an important health issue, and PRK has been persistent as an advocate for environmental health," said Dr. Ashbury. "I feel very strongly that the City should be following the example of other municipalities in Ontario, such as Toronto and Ottawa, by moving ahead on this issue and establishing a pesticide reduction bylaw. Hopefully, these funds will help PRK move the pesticide issue back into the municipal radar where it belongs."

Dr. Ashbury recently received the PAIRO teaching award for demonstrating excellence during his clinical teaching duties at Queen's University. The award was established in 1983 by PAIRO and recognizes the crucial role that in-hospital/clinic training plays in the education of young physicians in Ontario. Winners, who are first nominated by residents and interns, are chosen from medical faculty from each medical school in Ontario. Each winner is asked to select an organization to receive the $1000 teaching prize as a donation from PAIRO on behalf of the teacher.

"Everyone in PRK is energized and completely ecstatic about the donation. The Ashburys have been unwavering supporters of a pesticide-free Kingston and have made contributions in time and kind in the past," said Nabil Mailloux, group spokesperson. "Our mission now is to make sure that those funds are used responsibly and effectively to promote education and to build popular support for a pesticide reduction bylaw," he added.

"Our hope is that the Mayor and City Council will see that there is support in the City for a bylaw, recognizing that important medical and health organizations including the Ontario College of Family Physicians and our own Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Health Unit and its’ Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Ian Gemmill, support a move towards eliminating our exposure to these engineered poisons."

Pesticide Reduction Kingston is a non-profit community group, whose mission is to lobby Kingston City Council to pass a restrictive bylaw on cosmetic pesticide use. The group's mandate includes educating the public about the risks associated with pesticide use as well as the non-synthetic chemical methods of maintaining healthy residential lawns and maintains a website with this important information(www.prkingston.org).

Further donations can be made at the Kingston Community Credit Union in the name of Pesticide Reduction Kingston or 'PRK'. For more information regarding this release please email Temporarily Diabled or phone 634-9244.