Since 1917, Breathe has built a legacy of clean air, healthy lungs, and smoke-free living. Catch up with our past success and illuminate our path to the next 100 years.
On October 21, 2017, Breathe celebrated 100 years of improving lung health in Sacramento at the Breathe Centennial Gala, which was held at the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium, and presented by Western Health Advantage. The evening was attended by over 250 friends of Breathe, including local community and business leaders, past winners of Breathe’s Clean Air Awards, participants and volunteers from Breathe Bike Trek and other events, students from our Youth Advisory Board, representatives from major sponsors including the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, the Environmental Defense Fund, and CBS Radio affiliates, and long-time supporters in government, including special guest speakers Mayor Darrell Steinberg and Congresswoman Doris Matsui.
Highlights from Breathe Sacramento’s lung health legacy were retold in a commemorative booklet, a timeline, and a historical display featuring artifacts from the Breathe archive at California State University, Sacramento.
The event was emceed by KCRA News Anchor/Reporter Edie Lambert. Edie commenced the evening by describing how her family’s struggles with asthma have made Breathe’s mission personal to her life.
Former Councilmember Steve Cohn and Former Assemblyman Roger Dickinson continued the evening by describing their personal experience with the Breathe Bike Trek and the Clean Air Awards. They also welcomed elected officials to the event, including Congresswoman Doris Matsui, Mayor Darrell Steinberg, Supervisor Patrick Kennedy, Supervisor Phil Serna, Supervisor Don Nottoli, Councilmember Jeff Harris, SMUD Director Nancy Bui, and Lincoln City Councilmember Stan Nader.
Congresswoman Matsui took the stage and connected Breathe’s past to Sacramento’s future. She stressed the importance of science and facts to ensuring a healthier and more sustainable future.
Mayor Steinberg thanked Breathe for its steadfast advocacy of clean air over the decades, and remarked about how the many efforts to reduce air emissions have become widely accepted and practiced by most people in the Sacramento Region and in California.
To close out the evening, past Breathe Board Presidents Peter Adams and Kristin Landstrom presented highlights of our history. Each story recounted a milestone in our legacy, and explained how we are continuing that legacy today.
Breathe California Sacramento Region wants to again thank our many Sponsors for the Centennial Gala. Without support from these organizations, out continued services to the people of the Sacramento Region would not be possible. Thank you to:
- Western Health Advantage
- SMUD
- 4LEAF, Inc
- City of Sacramento
- Comstock’s Magazine
- Five Star Bank
- Kaiser Permanente
- SAFE Credit Union
- Siemens
- SKK Developments
- SMAQMD
- Smith, Watts & Company
- Taylor & Wiley
- Teichert Construction
- Mayor Darrell Steinberg
- Councilmember Allen Warren
- Supervisor Phil Serna and Partick Kennedy
- Councilmember Eric Guerra
- Roger and Marj Dickinson