All - Leep Calendar

In 2008, Congress declared April National Sarcoidosis Awareness Month to bring more attention to this rare, multi-system disease. Additionally, each year a single day in April is set aside via Presidential decree to focus on this disease. About Sarcoidosis from the Bernie Mac Foundation: Sarcoidosis causes inflammation, called a granuloma, in different body areas. Because it can appear anywhere from the lungs to the eyes to the heart, it can manifest in various symptoms, including swollen lymph nodes, skin sores, and lumps in the lungs—or no symptoms at all. Inflammation can affect any organ in the body, but the lungs and skin are the most common. If the inflammation is allowed to continue, the result will be tissue scarring. The goal of treatment is to interrupt the inflammation so that a damaging scar does not form. Scar formation is more critical in specific organs, such as the lungs, eyes, heart, and brain. Diseases involving these organs are often treated with anti-inflammatory medications. Sarcoidosis is not cancer, nor is it a contagious disease. In some cases, it seems to run in families. Medical textbooks twenty years ago listed the illness as being primarily one of African American women and patients of Scandinavian descent. We now know that, although Sarcoid seems more prevalent in these populations, and there may be a genetic predisposition, the disease is not limited to these groups. More and more Caucasian men and women (of eastern European and Scandinavian descent), Puerto Rican patients, and African American men are diagnosed with it. With treatment, many people recover, although it can take several years. Others may have a more challenging time and can suffer more significant organ damage. Even when symptoms subside—called remission—sarcoidosis can return. In rare cases, sarcoidosis is fatal, and researchers don’t know what causes it.

Africa

Apr

School Library Month, Ntl.: April

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School Library Month (SLM) first ran in 1985. School librarians are encouraged to create activities to help their school and local community celebrate the essential role that vital school library programs play in a student's educational career. The following is excerpted and adapted from AASL Celebrates First National School Library Media Month. Lucille Thomas, chair of the School Library Media Month Committee, spearheaded the AASL efforts for a national School Library Month. President Judy King appointed Thomas in 1983. Thomas and her committee gathered ideas from previous state and local celebrations for school libraries and compiled a fifty-two-page handbook for the first national observance. In April 1985, members of the committee were Edna Bayliss, Elsie Brainard, Winona Jones, Elizabeth Kenneson, Elinor McCloskey, and Virginia Moore. The first national observance of School Library Month theme was: Where Learning Never Ends: The School Library Media Center. AASL officials and local and national dignitaries got the month off to a rousing start on April 1, 1985, with a ceremony on the west steps of the United States Capitol. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-NY) delivered the keynote address. Moynihan told the school librarians in the audience, In 2010, the name changed to School Library Month after the Board of Directors voted to readopt the professional title school librarian from the former school library media specialist.

Africa

Apr

Second Chance Month, Ntl.: April

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In April 2018, President Trump declared Second Chance Month to emphasize the importance of preventing crime, respecting the rule of law, and offering individuals with criminal records a chance to become productive members of society. The proclamation aimed to reduce crime rates, prison populations, and taxpayer burdens by allowing former inmates to find employment, become employable, and receive mentorship and treatment for addiction and mental health issues. The President called upon Federal, State, and local prison systems to implement evidence-based programs that prepare prisoners for re-entry into society. Second Chance Month encourages all Americans to engage in events and activities that raise public awareness about preventing crime and providing second chances.

Africa

Apr

Sexual Assault Awareness Month: April

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Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) occurs in April each year. During SAAM, activists raise awareness about sexual violence and educate communities and individuals on preventing it.

Africa

Apr

Sheetala Ashtami, Basoda Puja (H): April 1

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Sheetala Ashtami follows Holi. Hindus worshipping Sheetala believe that by observing vrat and paying homage to the goddess, she will protect them from deadly diseases. In Hindu mythology, Sheetla Mata is commonly called the goddess of smallpox. Devotees prepare food the day before Sheetla Asthami, bringing food to the temple to perform the goddess's puja (acts of devotion). PLEASE NOTE: We use the Indian civil calendar, the official holiday calendar in India. The Hindu faith has many calendars, each specific to different regions and tribes, with dates and celebrations marked by differing positions of the sun, moon, and stars. Names of months and holidays and the corresponding dates in the Gregorian Calendar may vary widely from one calendar to the next. Determine the proper calendar before attending local events.

Africa

Apr

Sikh Awareness Month: April

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Sikh American Awareness and Appreciation Month is observed in over 19 states during April in the US. It acknowledges the significant contributions of Sikh heritage to the United States and provides the opportunity to understand, recognize, and appreciate the rich history and shared principles of Sikh Americans. Further, it condemns all hate crimes and bias incidents against Sikh Americans and encourages all Sikhs to practice their faith freely and fearlessly.

Africa

Apr

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival (US-WA): April

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Over 1,000 acres of blooming tulips, daffodils, and other spring flowers greet over 350,000 visitors yearly in La Conner, Mount Vernon, and Burlington, Washington. The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is one of the most significant events, accessible from Seattle and British Columbia.

Africa

Apr

Smile Day (AU): April 1

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April 1 is the world's day of pranks. The Humour Foundation of Australia sponsors Smile Day to educate the public on the therapeutic benefits of humor in well-being and its programs for humor ambassadors, including elder clowns, clown doctors, laughter bosses, and laughter works.

Africa

Apr

Sorry Charlie Day: April 1

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Sorry, Charlie Day commemorates Charlie the Tuna, a cartoon mascot and spokes-tuna-person for the Star-Kist brand, created by Tom Rogers in 1961. Charlie kept trying and trying, no matter how many times he was turned down. Today honors the spirit of people who face rejection and never give up. Celebrate by sending your best rejection story to Sorry Charlie, No-Fan-Club-For-You. Star-Kist Tuna is a brand of tuna made famous by the Charlie the Tuna commercials, where the phrase "Sorry, Charlie" was prominent. In the commercials, Charlie is always rejected by a note that says "Sorry, Charlie," while attached to a fishing hook. The reason for the message? The fishermen were looking for a tuna that tasted good, not a tuna with good taste (like Charlie).

Africa

Apr

Sourdough Bread Day, Ntl.: April 1

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Sourdough first appeared in Egypt around 1500 BC and is the first known fluffy bread (versus flat bread). Egyptians were avid beer brewers and drinkers. It is believed the yeast for the beer may have accidentally ended up on the dough waiting to be baked. When the brewer finally went to cook the dough, it had risen. Before sourdough bread, bakers didn't use yeast; all bread was flat (think matzah and crackers). In 1849 sourdough became an institution during the Gold Rush in California. Master bakers from France set up shop in downtown San Francisco and began baking the bread. It traveled well with the miners and became a hit. Sourdough bread's flavor is tangy, and the bread is easily identifiable by its large holes created from the carbon dioxide generated from yeast. Sourdough is the only bread that turns carbs into protein—sort of. The fermentation process partially digests the wheat proteins but not entirely, increasing the bread's protein, and fermentation is how it gets its tangy flavor.

Africa

Apr

Soyfoods Month, Ntl.: April

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Soyfoods Month occurs each April to raise consumer awareness about the protein-rich foods created from soy. Soyfoods have high-quality proteins containing all the essential amino acids in appropriate ratios for human growth, body maintenance, and heart health. Throughout April, soyfoods are promoted in supermarkets across the United States via cooking demonstrations, coupons, in-store displays and discounts, and recipes.

Africa

Apr

Sports Eye Safety Month: April

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The American Academy of Ophthalmology sponsors Sports Eye Safety Month. This month-long focus on athletics and vision seeks to educate the public about the importance of eye health and empower the preservation of sight. Sports-related eye injuries range from abrasions of the cornea and bruises of the lids to internal eye injuries, such as retinal detachments and internal bleeding. Most sports-related eye injuries are avoidable with the appropriate protective eyewear: sport-specific eyewear properly fitted by an eye care professional. The American Academy of Ophthalmology believes protective eyewear could prevent 40,000 injuries each year.

Africa

Apr

STD Awareness Month, Ntl.: April

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April is Sexually Transmitted Disease (STDs) Awareness Month, hosted by the Center for Disease Control in the United States. This month-long observance provides individuals, doctors, and community organizations an opportunity to address ways to prevent some of the nearly 20 million diagnoses of sexually transmitted diseases in the United States each year. Its purpose is to raise STD awareness, reduce stigma, promote prevention, and improve access to care. Half of all new STDs occur among young people aged 15–24. While most infections will not cause harm, some can lead to serious health problems if not diagnosed and treated early. See the CDC site below (source URL) for more information.

Africa

Apr

Straw Hat Month: April

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Created by the Headwear Information Bureau (disbanded with the death of its founder Casey Bush in 2006, Straw Hat Month continues to be observed annually as the herald of Spring. It’s time to put away the felt and fur hats and don the straw until October.

Africa

Apr

Stress Awareness Month, Ntl.: April

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Each April, the Health Resource Network sponsors Stress Awareness Month and Stress Awareness Day. This national cooperative effort seeks to educate the public about the dangers of stress, successful coping strategies, and the harmful misconceptions prevalent in our society. The United Kingdom holds its annual National Stress Awareness Day in November.

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