Hi Carl,
Springtime arrives this month, and hopefully, it will bring an end to the harsh weather that's been storming in from coast to coast. This month we take a look at the changes this month may bring.
In Memory of Frances Magnotta
Frances Magnotta, a former member of the Executive Committee and wife of Past Supreme Regent August Magnotta, passed away on February 22. We offer a tribute to all she did for our Society.
March is the Month of...
Awareness Days, Holidays, Observances, Fun Days, and Historical events are presented for this month.
Charitable Activities Highlights
The last IFS projects of 2023 are in, bringing us to a record year of charitable giving.
College News
The clock ticking on completing things for the scholarship applicants, and it's time for High School Seniors to get going on their college-bound checklist items.
Inspirational Quote
This month's quote is from the author of Lean Forward Into Your Life.
Upcoming Dates
Update your calendar with these important dates. |
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Frances B. Magnotta, or Fran to her many friends, passed away on February 22 at the age of 87. She joined Claremont Council #1655 and went on to become Grand Regent of New York, inspiring the membership with her many charitable endeavors with her husband Augie. Fran's accomplishments stretched beyond her home state, and her accomplishments were noted in the Supreme Council. She served as a Representative from New York in 1994 and then as an Elective Member of the Executive Committee for two terms. She was appointed to serve as the Fraternal Director, overseeing the charitable activities through our organization, and later served as a member of the Committee on Laws for six years. After her years as a Supreme Council Officer, she returned as a New York Representative.
Fran was very active in promoting the Royal Arcanum. She was the 70th recipient of the Legion of Honor Award and continued her production to receive the 1105 Royal Purple Achievement Award. Fran found her way into members' hearts everywhere as she traveled through the Jurisdictions from 2004 to 2006 when Augie served as Supreme Regent.
Fran will be missed by all whose lives she touched. May she rest in eternal peace.
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Awarenesses MONTH
Alport Syndrome Awareness Month Alport Syndrome is a rare genetic disease that damages the tiny blood vessels in the kidneys and can lead to kidney disease and kidney failure. It can also cause hearing loss and problems within the eyes. There is no specific treatment or cure for those affected at this time, and it affects one out of every 5,000-10,000 people.
https://alportsyndrome.org/events/alport-awareness-month/ Gender Equality Month Females represent half of the world’s population, but they do not yet equal their male counterparts in pay, the division of domestic labor, or healthcare rights. Women still earn 23% less than men globally; spend 3x as much time in unpaid domestic work; and nearly half of the married women worldwide lack decision-making power over their sexual and reproductive health and rights. The United Nations has championed this cause for more than a quarter of a century and continues to pursue worldwide acceptance of gender equality. https://www.un.org/en/academic-impact/march-goal-month-gender-equality Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month Multiple Sclerosis causes damage to the myelin in the central nervous system and the nerve fibers themselves and interferes with the transmission of nerve signals between the brain, the spinal cord, and other parts of the body. Its exact cause is still unknown, though it does seem to be a result of something triggering the immune system to attack the central nervous system. Treatments and preventative research are ongoing, see what you can do to help the cause today. https://msfocus.org/Get-Involved/MS-Awareness-Month.aspx |
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WEEKS
National Invest in Veterans Week
March 1-7 Annually The National Invest In Veterans Week was established in 2019 to encourage people to patronize established and upcoming businesses set up by veterans. Their goal is to ensure that every veteran has the opportunity to thrive and achieve their full potential through veteran-owned business sustainment, educational development, and mental health empowerment. https://www.investinveteransweek.com/
National Groundwater Awareness Week2nd Week of March, March 10-16, 2024 National Groundwater Awareness Week is an annual observance sponsored by the National Groundwater Association to highlight the importance of groundwater to the environment, to our health, and to our everyday lives. Groundwater is located below the surface of the earth, representing 30% of all fresh water on earth. It supplies water to wells and springs, and keeping it uncontaminated is critical in keeping our ecosystem (and ourselves) healthy. https://www.ngwa.org/get-involved/gwaw
National Poison Prevention Week
3rd full week of March, March 17-23, 2024 The goal of National Poison Prevention Week is to raise awareness of the risk of being poisoned by household products, medicines, pesticides, plants, bites and stings, food poisoning, and fumes. More than 2 million poisoning cases are reported annually, with 85% of unintentional poisonings taking place at the home. Learn how to safeguard your medicines and dangerous household products to prevent a tragedy from striking you and your family. https://poisonhelp.hrsa.gov/what-you-can-do/poison-prevention-week
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DAYS
National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness DayMarch 10 More than half of people worldwide living with HIV are women and girls, with women of color impacted even more. Today is set aside to raise the awareness of the impact of HIV and to reduce the stigma associated with it. https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/library/awareness/nwghaad.html World Down Syndrome DayMarch 21 World Down Syndrome Day is a day to come together to celebrate Down syndrome and raise awareness of those born with it, advocating for the rights, inclusion, and well-being of people with Down syndrome. The date was selected by the United Nations as the 21st day of the 3rd month, to signify the uniqueness of the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome which causes Down syndrome. https://www.worlddownsyndromeday.org/ World Bipolar DayMarch 30 The famous artist Vincent Van Gogh was diagnosed after his death as likely having bipolar disorder, and so his birthday, March 30, was chosen as the day to celebrate World Bipolar Day. Its goal is to bring awareness to bipolar disorders, eliminate social stigma and discrimination of those with the disorder, through education, and and improve sensitivity towards the illness, including access to the latest research and the best treatments. https://www.worldbipolarday.org/ |
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Holidays and Observances Ramadan - Begins at the sighting of the crescent moon in the 9th month - March 11, 2024
Ramadan is a Holy month of fasting for Muslims, observed on the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is a month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community commemorating Muhammad's first revelation. It begins with the sighting of the crescent moon, ending with the next crescent moon. Some require that the actual observance of the moon is required, which can delay the actual start date due to weather conditions. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ramadan
St. Patrick's Day - March 17
The Feast of Saint Patrick commemorates the traditional date of the death of St. Patrick, who was born in Britain in the 4th century when it was ruled by the Romans. He was kidnapped and taken to Ireland as a slave when he was 16. He escaped but later returned to Ireland to convert them to Christianity. The celebration in America, particularly in Boston, New York, and Chicago, was greater than in Ireland until late in the 20th century. It is now an official holiday in Ireland.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Saint-Patricks-Day
Holi (Hindu Festival of Colors) - Begins at the full moon of the month of Phalguna, March 25, 2024
The date of Holi is based on the Hindu lunar calendar, celebrated during the Hindu calendar month of Phalguna, starting on the date of the full moon. It marks the beginning of spring. Participants throw colored water and powders on one another, so it is known as the Festival of Colors.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Holi |
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Fun Days National Oreo Day is on March 6. The cookie that everyone loves to twist, lick and dunk was introduced by the National Biscuit Company (now known as Nabisco) in 1912 as the "Oreo Biscuit." Sam J. Porcello, a Nabisco food scientist, became known as “Mr. Oreo.” https://thefamilynation.com/national-oreo-day
Parlez vous français? French Language Day is celebrated on March 20. It was established by the United Nations, which set dates for all 6 of their official languages. Celebrate the language that is the official language in 29 countries and one of the easiest languages for English speakers to learn. Fun facts: "E" is the most common letter in French, and "W" exists in French words because the words were borrowed from other languages.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UN_French_Language_Day National Puppy Day is on March 23, giving everyone a chance to say "Awwww" when they see the delightful young dogs falling over themselves as they try to run and play. Did you know that puppies can sleep up to 20 hours in a day and that they are toothless until about 4 weeks old? Enjoy them while they're young! https://www.petsradar.com/news/national-puppy-day |
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Historical Events March 1, 1781: The Articles of Confederation were formally ratified, creating a Congress that was the sole governing body of the newly formed United States of America. They remained in effect until the current Constitution was adopted in 1789. March 5, 1770: African American Crispus Attucks was one of 5 killed, along with 6 others injured when British soldiers opened fire in what became known as the Boston Massacre. British Captain Thomas Preston and 8 of his men went on trial the following October, defended by then-colonial lawyer John Adams. Preston and 6 of his men were acquitted, with 2 others. being convicted of manslaughter. They were sentenced to be branded, and then released. March 6, 1475: Michelangelo was born in the Caprese, Italy. His artistic genius led to his sculpting The Pieta and David, and to painting the ceiling fresco of the Sistine Chapel. March 11, 1918.: The Great Influenza Epidemic first reached America. Then known as the "Spanish" flu, the H1N1 influenza A virus infected more than 100 soldiers at Fort Riley, Kansas. It went on to infect more than a quarter of the U.S. population and more than half a million American deaths. Worldwide, the death toll was nearly 22 million by the end of 1920. March 15, 44 BC: Julius Caesar was assassinated by Senators in the Curia Pompeia in Rome. Caesar had tried the patience of the Senate when, after a successful military campaign, he refused the orders to disband his army and instead led them across the Rubicon. He was named dictator in perpetuity but went on with the "last three straws", three incidents where he disrespected the Senate, removed People's Tribunes, and was crowned King momentarily. A group of 60 to 70 senators conspired to kill him, stabbing him 23 times. March 19, 1813: Explorer David Livingstone was born in Blantyre, Scotland. A search party set out to find him after contact was lost with him when he went to search for the source of the Nile River. News reporter Henry Stanley located him in 1871, creating him with the famous remark, "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?" March 23, 1775: At the Virginia convention in Richmond, Patrick Henry famously spurred fellow conventioneers to support the American Revolution by stating "I known not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!" March 26, 1979: 30 years of warfare between Israel and Egypt ended with the signing of the Camp David Accord, brokered by President Jimmy Carter. March 30, 1853: Artist Vincent Van Gogh was born in Zundert, Holland. He only painted for 10 years, but produced more than 800 oil paintings, selling only one during his lifetime. He took his life in 1890. |
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Thank you to our generous councils! The IFS Program saw the highest amount of donations in 5 years, exceeding last year by over $4,000! Thank you to all the subordinate and grand councils that participated. Let's get 2024 off to a good start and see if we can't break that record again this year.
Harrisburg Council #499 Donates to 6 Organizations
Harrisburg Council #499 closed last year with six donations to charitable organizations close to their hearts. Many were charities they have supported in the past, but they also like to add new causes supported by their members. Here's a lineup of their most recent fraternal activity.
Alzheimer’s Association The Alzheimer's Association strives to find a way to end Alzheimer's and all other dementia through research, and they are also active in advocating risk reduction, early detection, and maximizing quality care and support to those afflicted with Alzheimer's.
https://www.alz.org/ Caitlin’s Smiles Caitlin's Smiles was founded in memory of Caitlin Hornung, who lost her battle with cancer shortly before her eighth birthday. Throughout her many treatments and surgeries, she kept her smile and enjoyed expressing her creativity. Caitlin's Smiles works with children with life-threatening or chronic conditions, giving them a way to express their creativity and add joy and smiles to their lives.
https://caitlins-smiles.org/ Downtown Daily Bread Downtown Daily Bread is dedicated to helping the homeless in the Harrisburg community by offering daily food and shelter and delivering services to them, fostering and bringing them into the community, and inspiring hope.
https://downtowndailybread.org/ Leukemia & Lymphoma Society The fight to cure blood cancer is championed by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society which is the largest nonprofit dedicated to this cause. They have led the way since their founding in 1949, with more than $1.7 billion invested in research to date.
https://www.lls.org/ Speranza Animal Rescue Neglected and abused animals are rescued and rehabilitated by Speranza Animal Rescue. The organization is run by an all-volunteer staff on a 17.5-acre farm in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. They offer their time, patience, and love to the animals, offering them a second chance to see the good in people. "Speranza" means "hope" in Italian, and that's what they try to give these rescued animals.
https://www.speranzarescue.org/ Vision Resources For more than 100 years, Vision Resources of Central Pennsylvania has worked to enrich the quality of life of those who are visually impaired, helping them to find independence and empowering them through prevention, employment, and educational awareness programs.
https://vrocp.org/
Parroquia San Pedro y San Pablo Children's Fund
Claremont Council #1655 was called to help children more than 4,500 miles away through their support of the Children's Fund of Saints Peter and Paul in Paraguay. The council donated funds and donated clothing in the long-distance IFS project for the cause that was brought to their attention by one of their members. Congratulations to help for their worldwide fraternal efforts.
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Final Reminder for Scholarship Applicants Scholarship applicants are reminded that the deadline for completing the next steps of their Scholarship application is March 31. Double check the required items in the list you should have received from the Home Office, and immediately contact us at (888) 272-2686 if you lost or did not receive your list of next steps. And best of luck to all our applicants! High School Seniors, Get Ready for College Keep an eye out for your college admissions decisions. Each school has its timeline for issuing acceptances, and the final admission letters should be wrapped up soon. But don’t get too caught up in next year’s dreams: prepare for your AP test and final exams to end your senior year on a high note. |
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“As we work to create light for others, we naturally light our own way.” ― Mary Anne Radmacher |
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Mark your calendar with these important dates: - Daylight Saving Time begins: March 10, 2024
- Spring begins: March 19, 2024
- Spring Bulletin article submission deadline: March 28, 2024
- Scholarship checklist items deadline: March 31, 2024
- Monthly Lend A Hand - Lift A Heart submission deadline: March 31, 2024
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