Awarenesses MONTH
National Traffic Awareness MonthEver since the first vehicle crash in 1771 (when a steam-powered vehicle crashed into a wall in France), there have been concerns about vehicle safety. The World Health Organization reports more than a million fatal traffic accidents annually, with 20 to 50 million people injured annually. In order to reduce overall accidents, August has been set aside to focus on traffic safety by paying attention to the traffic around us and following the traffic rules designed to keep everyone safe. https://www.holidaycalendar.io/holiday/national-traffic-awareness-month Gastroparesis Awareness Month
Gastroparesis, also known as delayed emptying of the stomach, is a medical condition that results in food and liquid remaining in the stomach for long periods without any observable obstruction or blockage. The result can lead to poor nutrient absorption and poor glycemic control, and its symptoms can even become life-threatening. The International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders has been observing this awareness since 2016 to bring into focus those who suffer from the condition, how to manage it, and bring support to more studies for gastroparesis.
https://aboutgastroparesis.org/living-with-gastroparesis/gastroparesis-awareness-month/ MedicAlert Awareness Month In 1953, 14-year-old Linda Collins cut herself deeply and nearly died when she was given a tetanus antitoxin by an emergency room doctor. Her father, Dr. Marion Collins, knew of her allergy, but since he was not in town when his daughter was brought to the hospital. In 1956, he designed the first-ever MedicAlert ID bracelet to help keep his daughter safe in any future emergency. Since then, it is estimated that more than 4 million lives have been saved through the use of MedicAlert IDs. August has been designated to raise awareness of this simple but lifesaving step that can and should be taken by those with known serious reactions. https://www.medicalert.org WEEKS
National Minority Donor Awareness Week - First week of August Since 1996, the first week of August honors minorities who have been organ, eye, and tissue donors and encourages others to register as donors. Minorities make up more than half of those on an organ transplant waiting list. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services states that “Although organs are not matched according to race/ethnicity, and people of different races frequently match one another, all individuals waiting for an organ transplant will have a better chance of receiving one if there are large numbers of donors from their racial/ethnic background. This is because compatible blood types and tissue markers—critical qualities for donor/recipient matching—are more likely to be found among members of the same ethnicity. A greater diversity of donors may potentially increase access to transplantation for everyone.” https://donatelifecalifornia.org/nmdaw/
World Breastfeeding Week - August 1 - 7 World Breastfeeding Week is a global campaign to raise awareness of and benefits of breastfeeding. This year’s theme is Enabling Breastfeeding - making a Difference for Working Parents. The health benefits are well-documented: babies who aren’t breastfed have an increased risk of gastrointestinal, respiratory, and ear infections, and are more likely to need hospitalization for these infections. Breastmilk contains many anti-infective factors that can help build up the immune system in babies. https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-breastfeeding-week/2023
National Overdose Awareness Week - Week of August 31 (August 27 - September 2)By presidential proclamation, National Overdose Awareness Week has been declared for the past few years to include International Overdose Awareness Day on August 31. More than 90,000 drug overdoses occurred in the United States in 2020. Opioid overdoses are increasing, but drugs like naloxone can reverse the effects of an overdose when administered in time. This week calls for us all to commit ourselves to helping those with substance use disorders and work to reduce the number of drug overdoses that occur. https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/awareness/overdose-awareness-week.html
DAYS
National Promise to Care Day - Aug 1
National Promise to Care Day honors the services of urgent care centers and workers and their commitment to their patients and communities. Urgent care centers were first started in America in the 1980s, and have grown to more than a $15 billion industry. This day reminds us to appreciate those who care for our urgent medical needs. https://www.nationaldayarchives.com/day/national-promise-to-care-day/ CLOVES Syndrome Awareness Day - Aug 3 CLOVES Syndrome (Congenital, Lipomatous, Overgrowth, Vascular Malformations, Epidermal Nevi, and Spinal/Skeletal Anomalies and/or Scoliosis ) is a rare congenital disease that affects infants at birth, characterized by abnormalities in bones, joints, or blood vessels. There are fewer than 200 cases reported worldwide to date. This event is observed to help more people understand what Cloves is and its impact. https://clovessyndrome.org/current-event/awareness-day/ National Grief Awareness Day - Aug 30 National Grief Awareness Day recognizes and validates those who are grieving. Closure can take time and come in many forms. Begun in 2014 by Angie Cartwright, this day is dedicated to bringing support to those who have suffered loss and are struggling with the realities of their grief. https://www.tributearchive.com/blog/58ec3dee-20c2-4f87-b843-ff0ab16613c0/The-Complete-Guide-To-National-Grief-Awareness-Day Holidays and Observances Colorado Day is August 1, celebrating the day in 1876 when Colorado was admitted as the 38th state. Colorado is nicknamed the Centennial State, as it joined the Union just 28 days after the 100th celebration of the United States on July 4, 1876. https://www.historycolorado.org/press-release/2022/07/26/history-colorado-celebrates-colorado-day-monday-august-1-free-day-long International Lefthanders Day was first observed on August 13, 1976, to celebrate those left-hand dominant and raise awareness of the issues they face in a right-hand dominated world. https://www.lefthandersday.com National Nonprofit Day is marked on August 17 each year to recognize non-profit organizations and their impact on the communities they serve. Non-profits (such as the Royal Arcanum) make a huge difference, often helping faster and more directly than government agencies are able to. Help out in your neighborhood today!
https://givebutter.com/blog/national-nonprofit-day The United Nations had declared World Humanitarian Day to be August 19 in observance of celebrating the humanitarian aid workers worldwide. Thousands of volunteers and professionals flock to crisis areas of the globe, putting themselves in danger so they can help those in need. https://www.un.org/en/observances/humanitarian-day National Senior Citizens Day was first proclaimed by President Reagan in 1988 to be August 21, as a day to celebrate senior citizens “for all they have achieved throughout life and for all they continue to accomplish.” There is no universal definition of a “senior citizen,” but age 65, the age when Medicare eligibility starts, is commonly considered a threshold. The goal of Senior Citizens Day is not only to show our appreciation for all that our elders do, but also to raise awareness of the conditions that many older people live in, and the struggles they face, and to support them as they get older. https://www.census.gov/newsroom/stories/senior-citizens-day.html Women’s Equality Day is celebrated on August 26, the anniversary of the date in 1920 when the Nineteenth Amendment was adopted to prohibit denying the right to vote based on sex. More than 100 years since the amendment was passed, full equality (especially in equal pay) remains elusive. https://www.doi.gov/pmb/eeo/womens-equality-day Fun Days While mathematicians celebrate Pi Day on March 14 (because the universal constant pi is approximated as 3.14), Homemade Pie Day is a more universal celebration, observed on August 1. Enjoy a homemade pie today! https://nationaltoday.com/homemade-pie-day/ First celebrated in 2015, National Coloring Book Day on August 2 encourages everyone to enjoy the artistic and relaxing pastime of coloring. It’s not just a child’s activity anymore, as intricate patterns geared for adult colorers are now readily available. https://www.coloringbookday.com National IPA Day on August 3 celebrates one of the most popular types of craft beers in the world, the India Pale Ale. Characterized as a bold, bitter beer made with hops and pale malts, it is an acquired taste that has been acquired by many. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/india-pale-ale-day/ Book Lovers Day is an unofficial holiday celebrated on August 9, and encourages people to pick up a book and read. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/book-lovers-day/ National S’mores Day - that campfire treat of a roasted marshmallow sandwiched between chocolate and graham crackers, is observed on August 10. The first recorded mention of the “Graham Cracker Sandwich” was in a recipes book by Campfire Mashmallows in the 1920s. The 1927 Girl Scouts published their own recipe in “Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts” but called it “some more.” The new name was later shortened to the name S’Mores as it is now known. https://www.ibtimes.com/national-smores-day-fun-facts-about-popular-campfire-treat-3270275 August 16 is National Roller Coaster Day, celebrated by those who enjoy that feeling of butterflies in their stomach. https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/rollercoaster-day/ National Bow Tie Day on August 28 is dedicated to celebrating the neckwear that is still an important part of formal dress, though less common than it once was in the 19th century. Clip on or tie on a bow tie and make a statement on your fashion choices. https://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/fun/bow-tie-day
Historical Events
August 1, 1944: Anne Frank made the last entry in her diary. August 2, 1776: Most of the members of the Continental Congress signed a parchment copy of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. August 3, 1492: Christopher Columbus set sail seeking a new route to the Far East. August 4, 1901: Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans, destined to be nicknamed Satchmo and become a jazz trumpet legend. August 5, 1861: President Abraham Lincoln signed into law the first Federal Income Tax (3% on incomes over $800); this tax was never put into effect, though subsequent income tax laws were. August 6, 1945: The first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, killing more than 100,000 people, and an estimated additional 100,000 due to radiation poisoning. August 9, 1974: President Richard Nixon resigned. August 12, 1881: Film producer Cecil B. DeMille was born. August 14, 1935: The Social Security Act was signed into law. August 15, 1969: The music festival Woodstock began in a field in Bethel, New York. August 16, 1896: Gold was discovered in Rabbit Creek in Alaska. August 18, 1774: American explorer Meriwether Lewis was born. August 21, 1959: Hawaii was admitted as the 50th state in the Union. August 24, 79 AD: The cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum were destroyed by an eruption of the volcano Vesuvius. August 26, 1883: One of the world’s most powerful eruptions in recorded history occurred on the island of Krakatoa in Indonesia, with the explosion heard 2,000 miles away blasting five cubic miles of earth into the air. August 28, 1963: The Civil Rights rally held the March on Washington when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., made his I Have a Dream speech. August 31, 1980: The Polish trade union Solidarity was formed in Gdansk, Poland. August 31, 1977: At age 36, Princess Diana of Britain died following a car crash in Paris, France.
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