All - Leep Calendar

National Epilepsy Month in Canada is a national awareness campaign. It aims to encourage people to acknowledge and understand the disorder and support the fight against the misconceptions, discrimination, and isolation facing those with epilepsy. Approximately 300,000 Canadians have epilepsy, and one to two percent of the population has or will experience an epileptic seizure in their life. That is twice as many as people with cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, and cystic fibrosis combined.

Africa

Mar

Ethics Awareness Month, Ntl.: March

06:20 AM | -

National Ethics Awareness Month strengthens the ethical culture within organizations and fosters success. Ethics are different than laws and based upon common moral principles. Currently, there are no laws requiring separation between business and high office. However, ethically, the potential to abuse power to advance one’s business concerns and profitability through public office has raised severe ethics concerns, where a person profits from service rather than serving. One can be unethical without being unlawful, and one can also break the law for ethical reasons. Refusing orders in the military that violate international law is an example of breaking a military code or law for ethical reasons. Debating these issues and seeking ways to manage and mitigate them is a central purpose of this day. Use this opportunity to examine your ethical values and see how they fit into your life and company culture.

Africa

Mar

Eye Donor Month, Ntl.: March

06:20 AM | -

Since 1983 the EBAA has held National Eye Donor Month to promote awareness of the need to donate eyes as part of the organ donor program, recognize donors and their families, and celebrate corneal recipients. Each year a member of Congress reads a proclamation into the Congressional Record to note this special occasion.

Africa

Mar

Eye Wellness Month, Workplace: March

06:20 AM | -

National Workplace Eye Safety Month occurs each year. Eye injuries are common in many industries, such as construction, manufacturing, etc. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that in 2012, 20,300 recorded occupational eye injuries resulted in days away from work. Prevent your eyes from injuries and take appropriate safety measures. This month is about raising awareness and providing the resources necessary to protect eyes in the workplace.

Africa

Mar

Festival of Owls, Intl. (US-MN): March 1-3

06:20 AM | -

Created in 2003 to celebrate Alice the Owl, the event evolved into a weekend-long celebration and fundraising tool for all things owls. The event attracts over 2,000 visitors each year.

Africa

Mar

Fiesta de las Fallas (ES): March 1-19

06:20 AM | -

Fiesta de Las Fallas (Festival of Faults) celebrates Saint Joseph of València in Spain. This highly animated and colorful festival begins on March 1st and goes through the 19th of each year. It celebrates satire, art, and tradition. For centuries Spanish carpenters welcomed spring on March 19th by burning the wooden props used to hold their lights during winter. Pyrotechnics, therefore, take center stage. The height of the celebrations occurs each year from March 15th-19th. Parades, food, and Spanish hospitality round out the offerings of this unique Spanish festival.

Africa

Mar

Fiesta Nacional de la Vendimia (AR): March 1-4

06:20 AM | -

La Fiesta Nacional de la Vendimia, or the Mendoza Grape Harvest Festival, occurs annually in the Mendoza province of Argentina and is a celebration of the winemaking process and one of the most important festivals in the country. The link for this event is a live stream, allowing you to participate in the festivities during the event.

The origins of the festival trace back to the late 19th century when local vineyard owners began to celebrate the grape harvest with festivities and parades.

The first state-supported Mendoza Grape Harvest Festival took place in 1936. The event has grown in size and importance each year and now attracts tens of thousands of tourists annually. The celebration usually begins in January, with a series of local events throughout Mendoza province. In early March, the festivities move to the city of Mendoza itself.

Typically the celebration includes:

The Blessing of the Fruits occurs on the last Saturday of February and includes a religious ceremony to bless this year's grape harvest.

Via Blanca de las Reinas occurs on the first Friday of March. It involves a night parade through the streets of Mendoza city, during which the Harvest Queens from each province of Mendoza present their departments with decorated carts.

Carrusel Vendimial: Held the morning after the Via Blanca, this parade includes horses, gauchos (Argentine cowboys), traditional music and dance, Argentine folklore, and traditions.

Africa

Mar

Florida Archaeology Month (US-FL): March

06:20 AM | -

Florida Archaeology Month focuses on Florida's rich cultural heritage and showcases the state's significant collections of archaeological artifacts. The Florida Department of State's Bureau of Archaeological Research is entrusted with maintaining, preserving, and protecting more than 12,000 years of Florida heritage. Archaeological and historical resources on state-owned and state-controlled lands, including sovereignty-submerged lands, are the direct responsibility of the bureau. State archaeologists carry out archaeological surveys and excavations throughout Florida, primarily on state-owned lands. They maintain records on historical resources that have been recorded and assist consultants and planners in protecting sites. The state's underwater archaeology program includes historic shipwrecks and pre-Columbian underwater sites, some of which are among the oldest human sites in the New World. The bureau also manages Mission San Luis, a 60-acre world-class archaeological site in Tallahassee featuring a full-time research program and a living history museum. It is the only reconstructed Spanish mission in the Southeast.

Africa

Mar

Flour Month, Ntl.: March

06:20 AM | -

There are three primary forms of flour: wheat, corn, and oat. However, flour can be made of many different foods, including rice, coconut, barley, nuts, and even beets and carrots. Health food markets and whole food grocery stores often have a selection of different types of flour, including coconut, rye, and rice. National Flour Month, occurring in March each year, is an opportunity to explore the wondrous world of flour and try something different. You might be surprised at the new tastes you find!

Africa

Mar

Fraud Prevention Month, Intl.: March

06:20 AM | -

Fraud Prevention Month began in Canada. Thousands of Canadians of all ages and from all walks of life are defrauded yearly. Recognizing fraud is the first step to better protecting yourself. Fraudsters are professional criminals who rely on some basic techniques to be successful. These include: 1) Developing professional-looking marketing materials. 2) Provide believable answers to your challenging questions. 3) Impersonating government agencies, legitimate businesses, websites, charities, and causes. 4) Pretending to be your ordinary supplier. 5) Hiding the valid details in the fine print. 6) Preying on vulnerable people, including those needing help with loans or finding employment. 7) Asking for fees in advance of promised services. 8) Threatening legal action to collect on alleged contracts. 9) Falsely claiming affiliation with reliable sources, including supporting or endorsing their products/services where none exist. These criminals often exchange victim lists with other fraudsters, opening up victims to repeated attempts. During Fraud Prevention Month, Canadians learn how to protect themselves and their families from those seeking to steal. The United States and other countries also have a Fraud Prevention Week in March. In Canada, it is a month-long event, and it is rapidly gaining popularity.

Africa

Mar

Friendship Day, World: March 1*

06:20 AM | -

World Friendship Day is officially recognized on March 1 each year by the United States Senate and other governing bodies worldwide. It encourages people to get to know one another better because, as former US President Jimmy Carter once observed, "International friendship is a powerful antidote to war." On World Friendship Day, Friendship Force International also invites you to make a difference in your community by taking part in special initiatives in the name of global friendship.

Africa

Mar

Frozen Food Month, Ntl.: March

06:20 AM | -

March is National Frozen Food Month, sponsored by the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association. Clarence Birdseye is credited with inventing the quick freezing method used to preserve foods by freezing in 1924. Before frozen foods, people had to rely on canned or salted foods to keep supplies fresh for extended periods (unless they lived in frigid climates where freezing was possible in the winter months). It meant that anything perishable had to be bought close to or near the time it was to be cooked, and that isn’t easy to imagine today. Birdseye’s freezing method was so revolutionary because it preserved the flavor and quality of the food through flash freezing. Rather than take hours, which often resulted in freezer burn, ice crystals, and other contaminates to the quality of the food, flash freezing captured the full flavor and nutrition. The food tasted almost as good months later if flash frozen as it would have cooked that day.

Africa

Mar

Fruit Compote Day, Ntl.: March 1

06:20 AM | -

Fruit Compote, or as it’s known in cafeteria lunch rooms, fruit cocktail, is a 17th-century French dessert of fresh and dried fruits, and sometimes nuts in a sweet syrup. In Eastern Europe, Fruit Compote is more of a punch, with fruits drenched in juices and drunk from a glass. This version originated with the Turks in the 14th century. National Fruit Compote Day has no official standing or sponsor. We’re not sure why it ended up at this time of the year, but it is a popular dessert during the Jewish observance of Passover, which generally occurs in March or April.

Africa

Mar

Gambling Awareness Month, National Problem: March

06:20 AM | -

National Problem Gambling Awareness Month (NPGAM) is a grassroots public awareness and outreach campaign to educate the general public and health care professionals about the warning signs of problem gambling and raise awareness about the available help locally and nationally. Warning Signs include: Lying to loved ones about gambling activity Deterioration of work performance Trouble concentrating Missing deadlines and essential responsibilities Worry about mounting debts and inability to pay them The American Psychiatric Association (APA) now classifies gambling disorder as persistent and recurrent maladaptive gambling behavior that disrupts personal, family, or vocational pursuits. "Gambling becomes a serious problem when you can't stop," says Keith Whyte, Executive Director of the National Council on Problem Gambling. "A problem gambler loses control and cannot stick to limits, even when gambling is causing serious financial, family, work or other problems." Six to eight million Americans currently grapple with gambling addictions.

Africa

Mar

Greek American Heritage Month, Ntl.: March

06:20 AM | -

Greek American Heritage Month, always in March, is an opportunity to celebrate all things Greek, from the first ideas of democracy to the gyro sandwich. Greeks have been part of the American experience since Don Theodoro first landed in Florida in 1528. The first landmark named for a Greek in North America is the Straight of Juan de Fuca, which defines a portion of the US and Canadian Border, after Captain Juan de Fuca, who discovered it in 1592. Though Florida saw some Greeks (about 500) settle in the mid-1700s, it wasn’t until the 1850s that Greek migration intensified. These immigrants settled in New Orleans. As the Ottoman Empire began to crumble, the largest contingency of Greeks came to America. Between 1890 and the end of WWI, nearly 500,000 made the trip. Today the US Government reports that over 1.4 million people in the United States have Greek Ancestry. Famous Americans of Greek Ancestry include former Vice President Spiro Agnew, actor Billy Zane, Elia Kazan, opera great Maria Callas, actress Jennifer Aniston, Actor John Stamos, and media mogul Arianna Huffington.

Africa