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JESSICA FINCH Associate Editor

• STRENGTH TO QUIT - Chances are you won't find someone who is more against smoking than I am. I don't understand why anyone would ever start a habit that is so bad for their health - documented time and time again. I always wonder, what else does a smoker need to hear to realize this is a very bad idea? From medical to cosmetic, the effects are awful.

Well, my friend Danny was a smoker from the day I met him. I'll admit I nagged him, even taking cigarettes away from him. Some people might wonder when this became my business. Well, I do breathe the same air, and I knew he could do better for himself.

He tried and failed a few times, even hiding it from me when we all went out together. But I was ecstatic when, just a couple of years ago, he finally kicked the habit. He started running, and this past Saturday completed a half-marathon in New York City.

I don't want to speak for him, but I picture him as one of those people who could say in a commercial, "If I can do it, anyone can." I am sure it's hard to do, but the rewards are amazing.

As a competitive runner through college, I know the dedication needed to train for and complete an exhausting race. When I double checked my facts, I asked if he was still not smoking, and he said, "Yeah ... it would have been impossible otherwise." He finished 4,861 out of 10,000 runners. I couldn't be more proud of Danny's ability to quit smoking and build the strength to run 13 miles.

• MEN OF THE YEAR - Think your Fu Manchu is fabulous? Is your goatee styling? Is your beard a jaw dropper? Wahl Trimmer's "Let It Grow" tour will stop in Amherst in search of the Wahl "Men of the Year" sporting the best mustache, goatee and beard in America. The 38-foot Wahl mobile barber shop is making one of its 14 stops across the country at Wal-Mart, 2055 Niagara Falls Blvd., Amherst from 2 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 16. Guys will have the chance to sit down with on-site professional stylists who can help them master techniques to make the most of their look and choose the right tool for the job. In addition to free trims and professional consultations, guests can enjoy guy games with prizes and enter the Wahl "Men of the Year" contest. The Wahl mobile will also be at America's Fair, 5600 McKinley Parkway, from 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 18. For information, visit www. wahlnation. com.

by DAVID F. SHERMAN Managing Editor

• FOOTBALL FRENZY - When the Buffalo Bills host their first home game of the 2007 season on Sunday, Sept. 9, a great deal of attention will go into the team's game plan to be employed against the Denver Broncos. Yet an equal amount of planning will go into what the fans enjoy prior to the game in countless tailgate parties outside Ralph Wilson Stadium.

We would like to know what your favorite food items are for tailgating and what unusual dishes you prepare as part of this annual autumn ritual. We are also looking for unusual stories related to tailgate parties. Some of the best anecdotes will be published in a Bee feature story on Sept. 5 and 6. Send stories and comments to dsherman@beenews.com no later than Wednesday, Aug. 22.