3 collect cash from Indiana for quitting smoking

INDIANAPOLIS — Three ex-smokers from Elkhart, Indianapolis and Markelville have collected a total of $5,000 in cash prizes from the state of Indiana for kicking the habit.

The Indiana State Department of Health said Thursday that Jeanetta Browne of Indianapolis received $2,500, Estefania Garces of Elkhart received $1,500, and Marcia Chaney of Markleville was awarded $1,000 for staying tobacco-free for 31 days during the month of October. Markleville is about 30 miles east of Indianapolis.

The three were randomly chosen as winners of the Quit Now Indiana Contest designed to encourage Hoosiers using tobacco products to try to quit. More than 4,500 eligible Indiana residents registered for the contest.

The prize money was donated by two state health insurance vendors.