Category: Monthly Observances

Staying Safe Under the Summer Sun

Debbie Roney Smith on

August is Summer Sun Safety Month! What can you do to stay safe under the intense summer sun? 

  • Hydration! Make sure you’re drinking enough water and getting enough electrolytes. 
  • Sunglasses! These help protect your eyes, prevent cataracts, and the delicate skin around your eyes. Make sure they’re UV for maximum protection.
  • Skin protection! If you’re showing skin, use some reef-friendly sunblock. You can also choose to cover up using long sleeves, pants, hats, or umbrellas. Be sure to wear breathable fabric to avoid overheating.

GO Month

Debbie Roney Smith on

Happy New Year everyone, and welcome to the first day of Get Organized Month (GO Month)!

Resolutions often fail but getting organized can be an attainable goal for the month. The National Association of Productivity & Organizing Professionals (NAPO) created GO Month to help allow individuals and families to make daily life easier by organizing life’s chaos. See some tips and tricks for maximizing GO Month without burning yourself out. Remember: it’s okay to try something, find it doesn’t work, and try something else. No one can tell you how best to organize your life; find what works for you!

  • Rather than bite off more than you can chew by trying to organize your entire house, decide to give 10-15mins to organizing once a day or twice a week – however often you feel you can manage! 
  • If you like to-do lists, try keeping them short and to the point. Put 3-5 simplified tasks on an index card; this will help you feel more productive than never reaching the end of an ever-growing to-do list. You can also use a whiteboard to create focus tasks for the day; focus tasks are the handful of things you absolutely MUST do with perhaps 1-2 things you’d like to do. 
  • Stop holding on to insignificant items. Batteries you’re not sure work, charging cords to old phones, letters or cards that don’t hold emotional significance, dishes you never use but ‘might need to one day’, and more! 
    • Have items that hold emotional significance but don’t necessarily want to keep them? Try taking photos! This is great for everything from childhood trophies (do you really need your 3rd-place bowling trophy from 6th grade?) to letters from family members and more. This also keeps them safe from being destroyed in unexpected disasters. 
  • Get a ‘clutter-companion’ or body double. Invite a friend or family member to hang out with you while you de-clutter and organize. Cleaning out a kids’ bedroom is more fun with a friend, some music, and a glass of wine!
    • This can also be a chance to delegate and get your kids/roommates involved. If you share a living space, it can be very important to make sure everyone agrees when getting rid of things, changing how an area is organized, and more. Make it a day of fun by ordering take-out or doing 30 minutes of cleaning with 10mins of fun-time to break it up. 
  • Identify areas that aren’t working in your life. Maybe you use a hook for your car keys but often fail to hang them up because you set them down with your wallet. Get rid of the hook and invest in a catch-all bowl by the door; anytime you leave or come home, you can empty your pockets into the bowl. 

These are only a few of the thousands of suggestions you can find online to learn more about getting organized. So if none of these resonant or work for you, definitely look for organizing tips on your favorite browser or ask friends and family for their favorite tips-n-tricks. Good luck!

Pride Month

Debbie Roney Smith on

It’s Pride Month! Celebrated annually in June to commemorate its roots in the Stonewall Riots of June 1969, this is a time to not only celebrate the LGBTQ+ community but learn about the dangers facing the community today and identify ways to help. 

by Jonel Art

Pride started as a riot; in June 1969, the NYPD violently raided the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village. This sparked six days of protests and riots in the area as the community fought back against the unfair oppression. The riots elevated what was considered a fringe culture to the front-page news. A year later, activists in New York marched through Manhattan to commemorate the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots – this was the first Pride celebration.

Pride Month was officially recognized as a national event in 2000(1). Despite an increase in anti-LGBT laws sweeping through Florida in the last few months, those who haven’t fled the state for their safety are determined to celebrate and create a space of acceptance and support. Here are some LGBTQ+ events to take part in this month:

  • PensaPride Festival (June 24th) at Cordova Square Park, 1100 E. Brainerd St.
  • Bay Pride Fest (June 10th) at McKenzie Park, 36 Oak Ave
  • Tallahassee Pride Events

Pet Appreciation Week

Debbie Roney Smith on

PAW, otherwise known as Pet Appreciation Week, is an annual celebration of all things pets! Celebrated from June 4th-10th, PAW is dedicated to the beloved pets that humans share their lives with. Pet Appreciation Week was initiated in 1981 by the American Veterinary Medical Association; it was designed to raise awareness about the beneficial effects of pets.

While Research on human-animal interactions is still relatively new, some studies have shown a positive correlation between human health and the presence of pets. Animals serve as a source of comfort and support; their presence helps decrease stress, improve heart health, and assists children with their emotional/social skills. In fact, kids who read to the real animals have shown better social skills (i.e. sharing, cooperation, and volunteering).

The week-long celebration also functions as a reminder to take care of your pet. Check them for fleas, abrasions, and make sure their relevant vaccines are up to date. Additionally, be sure that their diet is meeting their needs and that they are remaining healthy and active. 

*The photos are of some of Debbie’s beloved pet-babies. Debbie regularly rescues and adopts strays in the Florida Panhandle. 

Women’s History Month

Debbie Roney Smith on

March is Women’s History Month. What started as a single day to acknowledge the role of women in society became a month-long celebration thanks to the National Women’s History Project; in 1987, they successfully petitioned Congress to expand the established National Women’s History Week.

The National Women’s History Alliance declares a theme for each year’s History Month. 2023’s theme is “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories.” This theme recognizes “women, past and present, who have been active in all forms of media and storytelling including print, radio, TV, stage, screen, blogs, podcasts, news, and social media.”(1)

Women’s History Month acknowledges women’s contributions to culture, history, and society. It also offers people an opportunity to reflect on the struggles women face in modern society. Learn more by visiting the Women’s History Month website here. 

World Suicide Prevention Day

Debbie Roney Smith on

September is National Suicide Prevention Month, and today is World Suicide Prevention Day. One in every 100 deaths worldwide is the result of suicide. Suicide is a devastating pandemic that is worsened by unequal social conditions. By raising awareness, reducing the surrounding stigma, and encouraging well-informed, multi-pronged action, the prevalence of suicide around the world can be reduced. 

World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) was first successfully launched in Stockholm in 2003. It was a joint initiative of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP). This global event is the perfect opportunity to raise awareness of suicide and its intricate causes. Today is a day to promote action through intersectional and holistic means that will reduce the number of suicides and suicide attempts worldwide. Head over to IASP’s website for resources, statistics, and more.

 

World Watercolor Month

Debbie Roney Smith on

July is World Watercolor Month! It was founded by Charlie O’Shields, the creator of the popular online blog and community Doodlewash®. Watercolor is one of the most popular mediums for painters. It’s a versatile and inexpensive medium, making it a wonderful art to enjoy at all ages. You can participate by practicing watercolor yourself, with family and friends, or by supporting the official charity of World Watercolor Month by making a purchase on their website.  International Child Art Foundation (ICAF) is the official charity of the year; it “employs the universal language of art to cultivate schoolchildren’s creativity to prepare them […] and develop mutual empathy for a peaceful future.” 

Visit the official World Watercolor Month website for more information on the holiday. 

National Poetry Month

Debbie Roney Smith on

April is National Poetry Month! The Academy of American Poets – an organization that includes booksellers, librarians, teachers, publishers, poets, and literary associations – met in 1995 to discuss the need for a month-long celebration of poetry. The meeting was successful, and the holiday was officially launched in April of 1996. There are 6 key goals of National Poetry Month:

1) to highlight the achievements and legacy of American poets

2) to encourage poetry reading

3) to help teachers introduce poetry into the classroom

4) to increase media coverage of poetry and poets

5) increase publication of poetry books 

6) to increase support for poetry and the poets who produce it

National Deaf History Month

Debbie Roney Smith on

National Deaf History Month, which began on March 13th and runs through April 15th, is a celebration of contributions of the hard-of-hearing and the Deaf community to American society. It’s a great time to recognize deaf champions, and increase awareness of the deaf community’s rich history.

Deaf History Month was originally envisioned as just one week. In 1996, the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) suggested the week become a full-fledged month, and in 1997, the first annual, nationwide National Deaf History Month was celebrated, March 13 – April 15.

2006; thanks to the efforts of Alice Hagemeyer, a deaf American librarian who’s worked to make libraries more accessible to deaf people.the American Library Association (ALA) and NAD 

Black History Month

Debbie Roney Smith on

February is Black History Month! An annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history, the event is the brainchild of noted historian Carter G. Woodson. Since 1976, February has been acknowledged as Black History Month in the U.S.A. Other countries around the world such as Canada and the United Kingdom also devote a month to celebrating Black history.

Historically, Black History Month grew from Carter G. Woodson and prominent minister Jesse E. Moorland’s Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH). ASNLH was an organization dedicated to researching and promoting achievements by Black Americans and other peoples of African descent. It grew into a month dedicated to acknowledging and celebrating the incredible effort put into the creation of the U.S.A. as we know it by African American and Black communities.