Category: National Observance Days

Today is International Day of Friendship!

Debbie Roney Smith on

The International Day of Friendship was created in 2011 by the UN General Assembly. The idea was to help celebrate and further “friendship between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals [that] can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities.”(1) The U.N. encourages governments, community groups, and other organizations to coordinate activities and events that celebrate the friendships that help build, guide, and protect global peace.

Celebrate friendships today, international and local, by reaching out to a friend in your circle. Interested in forging a new friendship with an international friend? Listed below are some international pen pal sites that you can explore today:

International Day of Tea

Debbie Roney Smith on

Today is International Tea Day! The resolution was adopted on December 21, 2019. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization to leads the observance of the Day. It’s designed to highlight tea’s cultural and economic significance, its health benefits, and the essential role of sustainable production. Tea production must put into practice sustainable and environmentally revitalizing processes so future generations can enjoy tea too. 

National Endangered Species Day

Debbie Roney Smith on

Today is National Endangered Species Day. It’s the result of the America’s Endangered Species Act of 1973; the act sparked domestic and international conservation by providing a framework for protection. Protecting endangered species is crucial for the preservation of biodiversity and the maintenance of healthy ecosystems. Every species plays an essential role in maintaining the balance of their ecosystems; 881 animal species have gone extinct since around 1500. We need to protect the ones that are left. 

Unfortunately, endangered species are currently under attack due to the America’s Wildlife Habitat Conservation Act. Currently up for voting in Congress, this act masquerades as positive wildlife conservation while actually working to revoke funding from critical conservation programs. The Act also seeks to weaken the Endangered Species Act by tightening the definition of “critical habitat” under the law. By tightening the definition, the Act will keep crucial areas from being protected and increase the danger to endangered animals. 

Do you want to help your favorite endangered species? Giant pandas, sea turtles, polar bears, and whales are just some of the over 1,300 endangered species under threat by this Act. Sign the Ocean Conservacy’s Protect the Endangered Species Act petition, call your elected officials, and share the crisis with friends and family. 

Day of the Mushroom

Debbie Roney Smith on

Today is the Day of the Mushroom! It’s a day to celebrate all things fungi. Mushrooms prefer dark or shady areas; that’s why they are often found on forest floors. The best time to hunt for mushrooms is a few days after a good rain. To celebrate these fun guys, here’s a list of local edible mushrooms to keep an eye out for while out in the woods today!

PLEASE REMEMBER: when foraging any food, do not eat it if you’re not 100% sure what it is – better safe than sorry. Additionally, here is a quick guideline for identifying mushrooms:

  • Season: the time of year you can find them.
  • Cap: top part of the stalk. Look for width, shape, and color.
  • Underside of Cap: look for pores, spines/teeth, gill-like ridges, and tubes.
  • Stem (stipe): on which the cap sits. Look for strips, striations, rings, and protrusions.

MUSHROOMS:

Chanterelles (Cantharellus cibarius)
King Bolete (Boletus Edulis)
Common Puffball (Lycoperdon Perlatum)

National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day

Debbie Roney Smith on

The National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day was established by Rick and Margie Segel in honor of their parents and the successful hat shop they opened in 1939. Mom-and-pop shops are incredibly important to the economy and the communities they exist in. Almost 70% of all new jobs in the country are the result of mom-and-pop shops. There are more than 7,936,977 small businesses in the USA. Small mom-and-pop shops provide more than just their services and jobs; they also function as community centers. The phrase mom-and-pop refers to small businesses run by families in the community they serve. Shop local, promote local small businesses, and help improve your community today!

Valentine’s Day 2024

Debbie Roney Smith on

Happy Valentine’s Day! Try one of these jokes to get your Valentine laughing today!

What’s Cupid’s favorite band? Kiss!

What did one watermelon say to the other on Valentine’s Day? “You’re one in a melon!”

How did the telephone propose to his girlfriend? He gave her a ring!

What Valentine’s message can you find in a honeycomb? “Bee mine.”

Why are artichokes so beloved? They’re known for their hearts.

Fat John’s Pizza

Debbie Roney Smith on

It’s National Pizza Week! From now until January 20th, celebrate all things pizza; indulge in your favorite pizza, try a new recipe, support a local shop, or read up on the history of pizza. 

Did you know that approximately 350 slices of pizza are eaten every second?! Pizza became popular in the United States in the 1950s. A boom in pizza consumption occurred when Italian immigrants brought the beloved staple to their new homes in the cities. Fast forward to the here-and-now: the U.S.A. consumes more than three BILLION pizzas a year.

This National Pizza Week, be sure to support locally-owned pizzerias. One excellent option is Fat John’s Pizza. They opened in 2018 in Marianna and have been a community favorite since. Visit to enjoy specialty pizzas, wings, and more!

 

Poetry in the Panhandle

Debbie Roney Smith on

Yesterday was Poetry Break Day. Poetry Break Day is a celebration of the poet inside all of us; humanity has been producing poetry for well over 4,000 years. Celebrate by writing your own poems, reading your favorites, or exploring new poetry. Want to celebrate Florida poetry? Check out the authors and/or collections below:

  • Current Florida poet laureate Peter Meinke(1)
  • Panhandle Poet: ~solitude~ by Marc Livanos
  • Songs of the Wind on a Southern Shore, and other Poems of Florida by George E. Merrick
  • In the Eye of the Storm: Stories of Survival and Hope from the Florida Panhandle by Jennifer N. Fenwick
  • And one of our favorite short poems: “Hiking the Florida Panhandle in March” by Robin Chapman

Cutting Your Energy Costs

Debbie Roney Smith on

Today is National Cut Your Energy Costs Day! First established by the Canadian Energy Efficiency Alliance, it’s an annual day of awareness designed to help homeowners conserve home energy and save money. Did you know that homes account for 22% of the energy usage in the United States (according to Energy.gov)? Yet there are a few simple changes that can be made to help you cut excess waste.

  • Take shorter showers
  • Unplug unused appliances & chargers
  • Do laundry in cold water
  • Switch to LED lights
  • Weatherize your house to optimize insulation