All - Leep Calendar

National Hope Day is dedicated to victims of child abuse. Initiated in 1952 by actresses Yvonne Fedderson and Sara O'Meara, the day focuses on treatment programs such as Childhelp Advocacy Centers and Childhelp Group Homes.

Africa

Apr

Humor Month, Intl.: April

06:20 AM | -

International Humor Month was founded in 1976 by comedian and best-selling author Larry Wilde, Director of The Carmel Institute of Humor, to heighten public awareness of the therapeutic value of laughter in improving health, boosting morale, increasing communication skills, and enriching the quality of life. Today International Humor Month is celebrated in the United States, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. "Since April is often bleak and grim and taxes are due on the 15th, it can be one of the most stressful times of the year," says Wilde, author of 53 books on humor. "Besides," adds Wilde, "it's the only month that begins with All Fool's Day, a day which has sanctioned frivolity and pranks ever since the 1500s." The idea of laughing and the use of humor as a tool to lift ailing spirits is growing. Scientific research now indicates that the curative power of laughter and its ability to relieve debilitating stress and burnout may be among our great medical discoveries. Ways to celebrate National Humor Month include telling a joke a day and watching a comedy show or movie each night to unwind and playing practical jokes on your family, coworkers, and friends.

Africa

Apr

Informed Woman Month: April

06:20 AM | -

A month set aside to help women take control over their lives, whether health, finance, career, or fitness. Informed Woman Month urges all women to set aside time during this month, identify areas for improvement, gather resources, and make a plan to create the best life ever. Annually in April.

Africa

Apr

Irritable Bowel Syndrome Awareness Month: April

06:20 AM | -

In 1997, International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD) designated IBS Awareness Month to focus on IBS diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life issues. IBS, or irritable bowel syndrome, is a long-term disorder where abdominal discomfort or pain is associated with various symptoms. Typically, these include intermittent abdominal pain accompanied by diarrhea, constipation, or alternating episodes of both. Other symptoms may also be present. Although there is currently no cure for IBS, there are ways to improve symptoms and feel better. Whether mild, moderate, or severe, all IBS treatment should begin with education about the nature of the disorder.

Africa

Apr

Islamic Republic Day (IR)(1979): April 1

06:20 AM | -

Islamic Republic Day in Iran marks the anniversary of the acceptance of Iran's new constitution on April 1, 1979.

Africa

Apr

Jazz Appreciation Month: April

06:20 AM | -

Jazz is a unique form of music that came about in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Jazz Appreciation Month originated with the Smithsonian Institute in 2002. Each year, April sees concerts and other activities celebrating jazz in the United States. In schools, music educators incorporate jazz into their classrooms; many focus on the greats of jazz history, including Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, and John Coltrane. Jazz Appreciation Month is when parents and teachers can significantly expand the types of music their children listen to. Rock and Roll and Hip Hop both have roots in jazz.

Africa

Apr

Keep America Beautiful Month: April

06:20 AM | -

If you were alive in the 1970s, you’d remember the Crying Indian commercial (below), considered one of the most incredible public service announcements ever for Keep America Beautiful. Keep America Beautiful Great American Cleanup is the nation’s most extensive annual community improvement program that harnesses the power of over 4.5 million volunteers to build vibrant communities. Over 1,200 affiliates and participating organizations engage volunteers each year to take action in their communities through programs that deliver positive and lasting impact through events focused on waste reduction, recycling, beautification, and community greening. Keep America Beautiful celebrates their work each April during Keep America Beautiful month. Their core issues of preventing litter, reducing waste, and beautifying communities go hand in hand with the work of GFWC. Update: Various culture activist groups decided the Crying Indian commercial represents cultural appropriation and pressured for its removal. In March 2023, the commercial was officially retired.

Africa

Apr

Kite Month, Ntl.: April

06:20 AM | -

Dedicated to promoting and supporting kiting, National Kite Month is a not-for-profit venture co-founded by the American Kitefliers Association and the Kite Trade Association International. Kite events worldwide help introduce people to kite flying fun, the rich history of kites, the stunning artistry of kitemakers, and using kites as educational tools.

Africa

Apr

Knuckles Down Month, Ntl: April

06:20 AM | -

Knuckles Down is a term associated with the game of marbles. In times past, marbles were a popular game, and people took great pride in collecting and competing. Knuckles Down Month is about reinvigorating the sport and its passions once again. Marbles are small spherical toys made of glass, stone, clay, or other materials that trace back to antiquity. Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans fashioned the earliest marbles from marble, alabaster, or other stone for games and as decor. During the Middle Ages, less expensive marbles were made of clay, fired in kilns, and decorated with colorful glazes. By the 1800s, glass marbles were introduced and mass-produced, and they quickly became popular with children and adults for games and competitions. Machine-made marbles were introduced in the 20th century using a "marbleizing," process that combined molten glass with various colors into glass spheres. These are the marbles of today.

Africa

Apr

Landscape Architecture Month, World: April

06:20 AM | -

Landscape Architecture Month is an industry outreach initiative for youth and young professionals focusing on minority communities. Public events showcasing landscape architecture, hands-on work with the public, speaking engagements, and in-school presentations occur throughout the month. According to the US Census Bureau projections, the US population will be much more racially and ethnically diverse by 2060. The minority population increased by 88 percent between 1980 and 2000, while the non-Hispanic white population grew by only 7.9 percent. Even so, the landscape architecture profession considerably underperforms against these numbers. In a recent ASLA survey of graduating landscape architecture students, nearly 84 percent of respondents were Caucasian, 12 percent were Asian or Pacific Islander, six percent answered Hispanic/Latino, two percent identified as American Indian, and a mere one percent were African-American.

Africa

Apr

Laugh at Work Week: April 1-7

06:20 AM | -

For one week each year, the world celebrates Laugh at Work Week, dedicated to having fun at work and recognizing the business value of humor and laughter. The week begins on April 1, April Fools Day, and this is the day in which pranks, stunts, practical jokes, and spoofs abound. Laughter and humor are essential parts of the workplace. Benefits of laughing at work include improved productivity, creativity, teamwork, communication, stress relief, job satisfaction, and employee retention. Laugh at Work Week was founded by Randall Munson.

Africa

Apr

Lawn and Garden Month: April

06:20 AM | -

Each April, communities, organizations, and individuals nationwide celebrate gardening during National Lawn & Garden Month. Gardeners know, and research confirms, that nurturing plants is good for us. Attitudes toward health and nutrition improve, kids, perform better at school, and community spirit grows. Here are some ways to spread the spirit of gardening in your community. Organize or take part in a town beautification day. Visit your local farmers' market. Compliment a neighbor on his or her garden. Get together with neighbors to purchase compost and mulch in bulk quantities. To calculate how much you need, click here. Volunteer to plant and maintain a garden at your town library. Submit a gardening article or essay to your local paper. Interview an elder to learn what foods his or her family grew as a child. Seek out neighbors from various ethnic groups to learn about their native cuisine and gardening techniques. Green up your street or a local park by picking up trash. Share a cutting of one of your favorite landscapes or houseplants with a neighbor.

Africa

Apr

Lawn Care Month, Ntl.: April

06:20 AM | -

National Lawn Care Month originated in 1992 as an awareness campaign for the environmental and psychological benefits of natural grasses in landscaping and in fighting erosion. It also highlights the expertise of the men and women charged with keeping lawns in top condition, whether for golf courses, public spaces, or residential yards. Throughout the month, lawn care, gardening, and landscaping resources are available to the public.

Africa

Apr

Lawn Greetings Month: April

06:20 AM | -

Lawn Greetings Month aims to promote awareness of the industry to the general public and bring smiles to those celebrating a special occasion or event. The lawn greetings industry members celebrate this month by setting out unique displays to surprise their recipients. What is a lawn greeting? Also known as a yard card, a lawn greeting is a hysterical prank you can play on those you love to get their attention. Typically, a company will come out under cover of darkness and fill the recipient’s lawn with a sign, various critters, including flamingos, dinosaurs, cows, and more; add a cute sign with a joke for added fun.

Africa

Apr

Letter and Card Writing Month, Ntl.: April 1-May 10

06:20 AM | -

When was the last time you wrote your mother a letter or card? Not an e-mail, not a text, but an actual live letter or card? Here's your chance. From April 1 through Mother's Day each year, it's National Letter and Card Writing Month. Send your mother a real card or letter, giving her something to hold. This event first ran in 2001.

Africa