Asbestos Organization to Honor Les Skramstad

February 12, 2007 - The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO), a California-based organization that serves as the voice of asbestos victims throughout the U.S., has announced that it will honor Libby, Montana resident Les Skramstad with the Alan Reinstein Memorial Award.

The award will be given posthumously as Skramstad recently succumbed to mesothelioma at the age of 70.  The Montana resident was an employee at the W.R. Grace and Company Zonolite vermiculite mine in Libby, where hundreds have already died and one of every eight residents is sickened with some sort of asbestos-related disease.  Les worked at the mine for only three years, during which time he was employed as a sweeper.

The organization notes that he will be remembered for “his unwavering commitment to justice and asbestos disease awareness” at the 3rd Annual Asbestos Awareness Day Conference in Philadelphia on March 31st. 

“We are pleased to honor Les Skramstad with the Alan Reinstein Memorial Award,” said Linda Reinstein, Executive Director and Cofounder of Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO). “Les not only fought a deadly asbestos disease, but also worked for decades to raise awareness about its dangers. We will always remember him as we continue our fight to prevent diseases caused by deadly asbestos fibers.”

According to a press release, The Alan Reinstein Memorial Award was created in honor of Alan Reinstein, who served as the former President of ADAO and an asbestos activist before he died of mesothelioma about a year ago.