All - Leep Calendar

Grantsville Days is the last full weekend in June with food vendors in the park, a grand feature parade at 6:45 p.m. on Friday, fireworks Friday and Saturday at dark (10:00 p.m.), and a full slate of live music, including The Fabulous Hubcaps!

Africa

Jun

Great American Backyard Campout: June 28-29

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The Great American Backyard Campout encourages Americans to get outdoors and enjoy nature. It is an opportunity to bond with family and discover the ecosystem present in your backyard. This event is championed by the National Wildlife Federation; however, various locations throughout the country often choose to hold a backyard camping event on different weekends throughout the summer. Check with your local and national parks for events in your region.

Africa

Jun

Great Get Together, The (UK)(1974): June 20-22

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This community-building initiative marks the anniversary of British parliament member Jo Cox's birthday (Born June 22, 1974). Cox was murdered on June 16, 2016, and strongly supported immigrant rights, Palestinian rights, and the BDS campaign to end apartheid in Israel. The idea of The Great Get Together is to get to know your neighbors and realize that we have more in common than differences. This event first ran in 2017.

Africa

Jun

Great Outdoors Month: June

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Great Outdoors Month focuses on the importance of outdoor activities. From 1996 until now, national leaders who focus on recreation convene in Washington DC to talk about policies that can promote the great outdoors as a source of recreation and economic importance. This awareness month began as the Great Outdoors Week Festival 1998. Great Outdoors Month arrived in 2004 via a Presidential proclamation. Some activities to try during this month-long event include low-cost or free outdoor activities, including camping and fishing. This month's events include National Trails Day, the Great American Backyard Campout, and National Get Outdoors Day.

Africa

Jun

Green Week, Great Big (UK): June 7-15

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GREAT BIG GREEN WEEK A Celebration of Climate Action and Sustainability The United Kingdom's Great Big Green Week is a nationwide event that underscores the critical importance of environmental conservation, climate action, and sustainability. This annual celebration brings together communities, organizations, and individuals from across the country to champion the cause of a greener, more sustainable future. Launched in 2011, Great Big Green Week began as a response to the growing need for grassroots climate action. Climate Coalition, a diverse group of over 140 organizations dedicated to addressing climate change and promoting environmental stewardship, champions the event. It seeks to raise awareness about the urgent need for climate action, engage the public in sustainability efforts, and inspire lasting change. The week-long event typically takes place in September and features various activities, from local community events to large-scale national campaigns. Participants include schools, businesses, non-profit organizations, and individual citizens, all united by a common goal: to protect the planet for future generations. Activities during Great Big Green Week are varied and designed to cater to all age groups and interests. They include educational workshops, environmental fairs, tree-planting drives, litter clean-ups, and sustainability-themed arts and crafts. Additionally, there are public discussions, film screenings, and social media campaigns to spread the message of environmental responsibility. One of the key highlights of Great Big Green Week is the involvement of local governments and councils, which often organize events and initiatives to support the cause. This collaboration ensures that the movement has a broad reach and can effect tangible changes at the community level. Since its inception, Great Big Green Week has grown significantly, attracting participation from thousands of people across the UK. It has become a vital platform for environmental advocacy, providing a space for sharing ideas, fostering collaboration, and showcasing innovative solutions to climate challenges. As the event continues to evolve, its mission remains clear: to mobilize the nation in the fight against climate change and to promote sustainable living practices. Through the collective efforts of its participants, Big Green Week aspires to create a more resilient and eco-friendly future for all.

Africa

Jun

Greencare for Troops Month: June

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As the weather warms and the grass grows, Greencare for the Troops Month (formerly week) encourages volunteers to help with outdoor care (mowing lawns, pulling weeds, watering plants) at the homes of families of deployed active servicemen and women, the deceased, elderly, and injured veterans. Project Evergreen also hosts a Snowcare for the Troops Week each winter. See the organization's website for information on participating within your area, either as someone needing help or as a volunteer. http://projectevergreen.org/greencare-and-snowcare-for-troops.

Africa

Jun

Gun Violence Awareness Day, Ntl.(1998): June 2

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Wear Orange on June 2 to honor the memory of the over 30,000 people a year that die from gun violence in the United States (with an additional 70,000+ injured). Of these, 33 percent are homicides, and 66 percent are accidental. National Gun Violence Awareness Day takes place on the birthday of Hadiya Pendleton (June 2, 1998). Hadiya died by gunfire on January 21, 2013, at 15.

Africa

Jun

Gurgadi (S)(1606): June 11

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Guru Hargobind Sahib became a guru in the Sikh faith on this day in 1606.

Africa

Jun

Haemochromatosis Week, World: June 2-8

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World Hemochromatosis Week addresses the issue of too much iron in the body. The disease most often appears in men and women over 40 and can be instigated through heredity, diet, vitamin pills with iron, and alcohol consumption. This advocacy week urges people worldwide to get tested and provides resources for those affected by the disease.

Africa

Jun

Hajj (M)(SA): June 4-9

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Dhu al-Hijjah is the 12th and last month in the Islamic Calendar, the final of four sacred months, and the month of Hajj. Performing Hajj occurs between the 8th to 12/13th of the month and is one of Islam's five pillars or fundamental acts that define the faith. Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca that devout Muslims endeavor to do at least once in their lifetime. When performed during the first 8-12/13 days of the Islamic month of Duh al-Hijjah, it is called Hajj, and when practiced at other times of the year, it is called Umrah. The following is a general description of Hajj al-Tamatt'u, the most common pilgrimage. Each year during Hajj, millions of people from around the world descend on the Saudi Arabian city of Mecca to perform the rituals of Hajj. One of the first places visited is the black box, the Kaaba. Muslims walk around counterclockwise seven times, three separate times during the pilgrimage. The word for this encircling is "tawaf." The Kaaba marks where Muslims believe Adam and Eve built the first house of worship, and Abram (hereafter referred to as Abraham (Ibrahim)) rebuilt it thousands of years later. In the Muslim faith, they refer to this as "the first house of the only true God." It is the Kaaba that Muslims face when they pray. Muslims believe it was here that God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son Ishmael.* The Kaaba is believed to be the same size as Abraham's original temple. Performing Hajj is a 5-6 day process and represents one of Islam's five pillars. FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM Charity Testimony of faith Praying five times a day Fasting during the month of Ramadan Performing Hajj All acts of devotion during the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijjah are highly rewarded and blessed. Fasting on the 9th day is known as al Nisai and Abu Dawud. Fasting on this day removes one's sins for the next two years. How is Hajj performed? Day 1) Commences on the 8th day of the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah Step 1) Muslims change from everyday wear to ceremonial clothing called "ihram" upon arriving. Often in the airports around Saudi Arabia, you will see pilgrims flying in traditional clothing before arrival. Step 2: Dressed in their ihram, pilgrims perform "tawaf," circling the Kaaba seven times (3 times running, four times walking) counterclockwise. Step 3) After performing the first tawaf, pilgrims walk between the two hills of Safa and Marwa several times to the town of Mina, where they spend the night. The hills are where Hagar ran back and forth seven times, looking for water for Ishmael, and God took pity and created a spring for her. Pilgrims replicate the running back and forth through this ritual called "masa." The spring Muslims believe God created for Hagar is called Zamzam. Mina, where the day's journey ends, is the location of the three pillars (Jamrat al-Aqaba, Jamrat al-Wusta & Jamrat al-Sughra), representing the three times the devil tempted Abraham. Day 2: Performed on the 9th day of the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah Step 1) This day is about walking from Mina to Arafat, approximately 6 miles; it is called the "waqf," or day of vigil. Pilgrims stand from noon until sunset in Arafat as part of Hajj, and Arafat is where the prophet Mohammed delivered his last sermon in 632 AD. Step 2) Leaving Arafat after nightfall, pilgrims walk to Muzdalifa, about 4 miles, and collect 49 stones along the way. They spend the night in Muzdalifa under the stars, and most pilgrims will fast on this day. Day 3: Eid al-Adha, the 10th day of the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah Step 1) Pilgrims walk from Muzdalifa to Mina and throw stones at the devil represented by the largest of the three pillars (Jamrat al-Aqaba). Day three is a day of celebration. Step 2) Pilgrims continue walking to Mecca from Mina to perform the second tawaf, walking seven times around the Kaaba. Step 3) Then they walk again between the hills of Safa and Marwa, returning to Mina. Step 4) Animals are sacrificed. The meat is cooked and distributed to commemorate Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son to God and God's acceptance of a sheep instead. A vast feast follows, with large portions going to the poor. Unlike sacrifices in other faiths, in Islam, the gift of an animal's life is not done to please God. It is performed to remember Abraham's obedience and for charity. One sheep or goat equals one person, and a camel or cow's sacrifice equals seven people. Only those who can afford to make a sacrifice will do so, often paying for those without funds. Days 4-6: the 11th - 13th days of the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah On each day of this final period (2 or 3 days), pilgrims return to the three pillars representing the devil and stone them in a specific order. This uses up the remaining stones of the 49 collected on the second day. On the final day of Hajj, pilgrims change clothes, replacing the "iharm" with their standard attire to perform their third and final tawaf around the Kaaba. Upon completing Hajj, Muslims may now refer to themselves as 'alhaji' (male) or 'alhaja' (female). Like confirmation in Christianity or Bar/Bat Mitzvah in Judaism, this is a title of accomplishment in the Islamic faith. _________ *NOTE: The son referenced in this story is an area where Islam, Judaism, and Christianity differ in scripture. Christians and Jews believe it was Isaac, the son of Abraham's first wife, Sara. Muslims believe it was Ishmael, the son of Sara's handmaid Hagar, Abraham's second wife. PLEASE NOTE: Islamic holidays are determined in Mecca by the position of the moon and can occur a day earlier or later than posted.

Africa

Jun

Handshake Day, Ntl.: June 26

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Handshakes are a part of business culture, which originated with the need to make sure the person you were speaking with wasn't concealing a dagger up their sleeve. Today they are the most common form of greeting in the world. How you shake hands is the first impression people get of you. The perfect shake is about five seconds, a firm with 2-3 up and down gestures, with neither person in a dominant position. Today is the day to check your shake and see if you're making the impression you hope to on National Handshake Day.

Africa

Jun

Handshake Day, World: June 21

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Ivan Župa from Croatia creates World Handshake Day. Here is how he describes his motivation for this day (Edited for grammar and clarity): "When I was a little boy, I grew up in Croatia, near the Adriatic sea city of Split. One day I met an old man on the shore who told me the following words: 'My son, place your hand in the sea and you are united with the whole world.' Now, at the age of 66, I would like to help fulfill the vision of this old man by creating World Handshake Day. Place your hand in the sea and shake hands with the whole world, feel united. By demonstrating this simple gesture of shaking our hands, we can help fulfill the vision of many nations and the wise old man. Take away the fear of those that have been so terribly affected by emergencies or natural disasters. Let the world come and help them." Ivan Župa

Africa

Jun

Handstand Day, Intl.: June 27

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International Handstand Day invites people globally to balance diversity with strength by doing a handstand. The ability to do a handstand is as much about balance as it is about alignment and form. In the end, it's about perspective. As the founder states, "when your world is upside down, do a handstand!"

Africa

Jun

Happy Birthday to You Day (1893): June 27

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June 27, 1893, is the anniversary of "Happy Birthday to You," the song. The now iconic melody and words first appeared together in 1912. Today, people remember one of the most popular songs of all time, the Happy Birthday to You song. Two centuries ago, a school teacher named Mildred J. Hill composed this song, and her sister Patty Smith Hill was the lyricist.

Africa

Jun

Harh (S): June 15–July 15

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The month of Harh in the Sikh religion is from June 15 to July 15. During this month, the Sikhs observe the martyrdom of Guru Arjan, the Foundation of Akal Takhat, and the birth of Guru Hargobind.

Africa