All - Leep Calendar

The Center for Effective Discipline (CED) promotes National Spank Out Day to urge parents to look for healthier and more effective discipline options and limit corporal punishment for their children. Spanking is not only a crude and violent attempt at discipline but also an ineffective one. Spanking and hitting a child causes alienation and induces fear-based adherence, and it fails to teach understanding and behavior modification. National Spank Out Day encourages organizations to implement a No Hit Zone. A No Hit Zone is an environment that supports a culture of safety and health where: No adult shall hit another adult. No adult shall hit a child. No child shall hit an adult. No child shall hit another child. No Hit Zones provide education and promote healthy relationships and safe environments across the lifespan.

Africa

Apr

Tabby Day, Ntl.: April 30

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The most common marking is the familiar stripped pattern on cat fur known as "tabby." Eighty percent of cats can be considered tabby. These tiny tigers warm the hearts of millions of people worldwide, so it is only fitting they have their day. Like Bulldog Day, Sandy Robins created this event as a book promotion for "Making the Most of all Nine Lives: The Extraordinary Life of Buffy the Cat." You can often guess a cat's sex by its markings. Orange tabby cats are 80% male, whereas a male calico cat is extremely rare. Solid-colored cats often show their tabby roots faintly on their tail or when the sun hits them just right. Enjoy National Tabby Day! Image: Joey or 'Jojo,' an 18-pound, solid muscle, Saudi Arabian spotted desert tabby and beloved adopted pet of LEEP's Founder.

Africa

Apr

Therapy Animal Day, Ntl.: April 30

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Therapy animals are different than service animals. Service animals perform specific tasks their owners can't do due to disability, such as seeing-eye dogs or public service like K-9 police dogs. Therapy animals fulfill a psychological function, providing comfort and companionship. Whereas a service animal is 'on the job' wherever its owner/handler goes, a therapy animal seeks out affection, cuddles, and to be touched. Therapy animals can be cats, dogs, birds, rodents, or anything that brings comfort to a human. Goals of National Therapy Animal Day: Recognize and honor therapy animals. Raise awareness and educate the public about the role therapy animals play in enhancing the health and well-being of humans. Honor the thousands of dedicated handlers (the human members of therapy animal teams) who volunteer their time and compassion during visits.

Africa

Apr

Walpurgisnacht (870 AD): April 30-May 1

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Walpurgisnacht is a favorite Christian feast day with European college students. European legends in Medieval times taught that witches and warlocks would fly through the land on this night, the eve of St Walpurga's feast (May 1). St. Walpurga (Patron saint of coughs, storms, hydrophobia, and sailors) was a Devonshire Englishwoman born in 770 AD. She was sent to Germany as a young nun and took over monastery duties after her brother died. Upon her death, it is said the walls of her tomb oozed with an oil with unusual healing properties. Like many traditions, Christianity and common pagan customs intertwined to create this unique holiday of bonfires, spindles, grain, witches, warlocks, and merrymaking. Farmers believed their crops would grow as high as they could jump on this day. Bells adorned the necks of cattle, and women hopped over brooms. All worn-out items in the home feed the bonfire as part of spring cleaning. Today, college students in Germany, Scandinavia, and other nations have made this a huge Halloween-style party that signals the end of the school year and the beginning of summer. The largest parties are in the Harz Mountains of Germany. The date is the anniversary of May 1, 870 AD, when Pope Adrian II canonized Saint Walpurga.

Africa

Apr

Conservation Week (NZ): April 20-26

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Conservation Week is run by DOC each year to encourage people to get involved in nature and help to take care of it. Created in 1969.

Africa

Apr

Pickleball Month: April

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National Pickleball Month is celebrated annually in the United States during the month of April. The purpose of this month-long event is to raise awareness about pickleball, promote the sport, and encourage more people to participate in it. Pickleball is a fun, social, and accessible sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis. National Pickleball Month was established in 2018 by the United States of America Pickleball Association (USAPA), the sport's governing body in the US. During this month, various events, clinics, and tournaments are organized across the country to introduce the sport to newcomers and celebrate the growing popularity of pickleball. It's an opportunity for experienced players to share their love for the game and for new players to learn the rules and techniques. Pickleball enthusiasts and organizations use National Pickleball Month as a platform to connect with their communities, engage with local schools, and work with recreational centers to create more opportunities for people to play the sport. The event also helps to highlight the physical and mental health benefits associated with playing pickleball, such as improved cardiovascular fitness, enhanced hand-eye coordination, and reduced stress levels. National Pickleball Month has gained increasing attention and support over the years, with more people getting involved in the sport and recognizing its positive impact on their well-being and social lives.

Africa

Apr

Poetry Month: April

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The Academy of American Poets created National Poetry month in 1996. It’s a concentrated effort within schools, publishers, libraries, booksellers, and poets throughout the United States to celebrate poetry.

Africa

Apr

Pooper-Scooper Week, Intl.: April 1-7

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The Association of Professional Animal Waste Specialists (aPaws), founded in February 2002, has established a special week of educating pet owners on the importance of cleaning up after their dogs. With the week in full swing, pet owners should be aware of the problems concerning dog waste. The American Pet association estimates that this country’s seventy-one million pet dogs produce over 4.4 billion pounds of waste annually. That’s enough to cover 900 football fields with 12 inches of dog waste! Dog feces presents more than a nuisance; pet waste can pose a severe health hazard. Why? Several common parasites, including roundworms, are transmitted via dog feces. When infected dog droppings fester on the ground, the eggs of the roundworms and other parasites can linger in the soil for years. As a result, anyone who comes in contact with the soil also comes in contact with the infected eggs. Children run the most significant risk of infection because they’re prone to play in the dirt at the park or playground and then put their hands in their mouths or rub their eyes with their hands. But even a group of teens or adults playing Frisbee or touch football in an open area could be in danger. Parasitic infections can make humans extremely sick, and for pregnant women, these infections pose a serious risk to their unborn children.

Africa

Apr

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month: April

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Each year, people throughout the United States "Go Orange for Animals" to raise awareness of animal abuse and prevention of abuse throughout April. Founded in 1866, the ASPCA was the first humane organization in the Western Hemisphere. Its founder, Henry Bergh's mission was "to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States." The ASPCA works nationally to rescue animals from abuse, pass humane laws and share resources with shelters nationwide.

Africa

Apr

Procrastination Awareness Month: April

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Whoever initiated National Procrastination Awareness Month in April appears to have procrastinated about listing their contact information. We have no idea where this event came from, but many people have picked it up for a bit of fun or possibly as an excuse. It does occur during tax month in the US. We discovered the Procrastinator's Creed on the American Procrastinators Society's unfinished website (we guess they've been procrastinating). How do you know if you're a first-class procrastinator? See if this sounds like you: The Procrastinator's Creed I believe that if anything is worth doing, it would have been done already. I shall never move quickly, except to avoid more work or find excuses. I will never rush into a job without a lifetime of consideration. I shall meet all of my deadlines directly in proportion to the amount of bodily injury I could expect to receive from missing them. I firmly believe that tomorrow holds the possibility for new technologies, astounding discoveries, and a reprieve from my obligations. I truly believe that all deadlines are unreasonable regardless of the amount of time given. I shall never forget that the probability of a miracle, though infinitesimally small, is not exactly zero. If at first I don't succeed, there is always next year. I shall always decide not to decide, unless of course I decide to change my mind. I shall always begin, start, initiate, take the first step, and/or write the first word, when I get around to it. I obey the law of inverse excuses which demands that the greater the task to be done, the more insignificant the work that must be done prior to beginning the greater task. I know that the work cycle is not plan/start/finish, but is wait/plan/plan. I will never put off until tomorrow, what I can forget about forever. Learn more pearls of wisdom from the Book of Procrastination, available here at http://prosoc.wikidot.com/book-of-procrastination#toc0.

Africa

Apr

Raw Feeding Week, Intl.: April 1-7

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Raw feeding seeks to replicate the natural diet of each pet, what they would eat if they were still wild. Depending upon the breed and needs, a typically raw diet is: 80% Muscle meat 10% Bone 5% Liver 5% Offal (secreting organs) International Raw Feeding Week is a digital event that includes webinars, expertise sharing, and stories from raw feeders worldwide. Share through social media, blogs, videos, and more. It's an opportunity to learn about raw feeding and share your experiences with other enthusiasts.

Africa

Apr

Reading is Funny Day: April 1

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Reading is Funny Day is about getting kids to read on April Fools Day by introducing them to riddles. Riddles improve a child's vocabulary and ability to think inductively and deductively; riddles are just fun. The American Library Association has put together some suggestions to help make the most of this day.

Africa

Apr

Rebuilding Month, Ntl.: April

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During National Rebuilding Month, 70,000 volunteers complete nearly 4,000 homes and community projects throughout the US. Volunteers help homeowners in need by completing necessary home modifications and repairs. To volunteer for the next National Rebuilding Month (or anytime throughout the year), visit http://rebuildingtogether.org/help/volunteer.

Africa

Apr

Records and Information Management Month: April

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National Records and Information Management Month was created in 2002 by Records and Information Management (RIM) professionals to raise awareness and promote best practices in records and information management. Throughout the month, various businesses in the field conduct a public relations campaign to emphasize the importance of organizing and maintaining records in electronic, paper, magnetic, and microfilm formats. The basic principles of RIM are: 1. Accountability; 2. Integrity: uniform policies for documentation, storage, and retrieval; 3. Protection: Administrative, Physical, and Technology; 4. Compliance: With applicable laws and organizational policies; 5. Availability: Identify, locate, and retrieve records as needed; 6. Retention- Conforms with legal, regulatory, fiscal, operational, and historical requirements; 7. Disposition: Securely destroy; 8. Transparency.

Africa

Apr

Rosacea Month, Ntl.: April

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According to recent patient survey data, Rosacea's effect on the quality of life can be devastating even when the physical symptoms are relatively mild. The National Rosacea Society (NRS) has designated April as Rosacea Awareness Month to educate the public on the impact of this chronic and widespread facial disorder, now estimated to affect nearly 20 million Americans.

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