Day 28: Winnie the Pooh Day

Every year January 18 is celebrated as "Winnie-the-Pooh Day" because it is the birth date of AA Milne, the creator and writer of the famous children's books and poems Winnie the Pooh. Mr. Milne was born in Kilburn, London on January 18, 1882 and amongst his best remembered works happens to be Winnie the Pooh books wherein the only human character is Christopher Robin who in reality is his son Christopher Robin Milne. The Pooh Bear we all know today was a bear whose real name was Edward. A Canadian army officer brought with him a bear from his town in Winnipeg in Canada while Pooh is a name that Christopher Robin liked when he was a swan while on vacations with his parent. Thus, the name Winnie the Pooh.

Twice a year, I witness RIF bring, and give out free books to the school I work at, giving a book to every student. Today’s donation is given to Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) who is the largest children’s literacy nonprofit in the United States. Their vision is a literate America in which all children have access to books and discover the joys and value of reading. Their mission is to motivate young children to read by working with them, their parents, and community members to make reading a fun and beneficial part of everyday life. RIF's highest priority is reaching underserved children from birth to age 8. They prepare and motivate children to read by delivering free books and literacy resources to those children and families who need them most. They inspire children to be lifelong readers through the power of choice. RIF provides new, free books for children to choose from and make their own.

Donation: $5

To support, please visit: http://www.rif.org/

Day 27: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a United States federal holiday marking the birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It is observed on the third Monday of January each year, which is around the time of King's birthday, January 15. King was the chief spokesman for nonviolent activism in the civil rights movement, which successfully protested racial discrimination in federal and state law. The campaign for a federal holiday in King's honor began soon after his assassination in 1968. Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law in 1983, and it was first observed on January 20, 1986. At first, some states resisted observing the holiday as such, giving it alternative names or combining it with other holidays. It was officially observed in all 50 states for the first time in 2000.

 

To acknowledge those who spread non-violence, which MLK is a symbol for, today’s donation is given to The Paradise Center for Tolerance and Nonviolence (PCTN) which is a grassroots, nonsectarian, nonpartisan organization dedicated to honoring and protecting differences, resolving conflicts peacefully, and advocating for a safe, hospitable, and harmonious community for all. PCTN programs and services offer support, mediation, and advocacy for those who have experienced bullying, harassment, or violence resulting from prejudice; bullying prevention programs for youth; and activities for all ages that foster appreciation of diversity. PCTN recognizes each person's right to his or her beliefs and opinions and advocates unbiased and respectful behavior.

Donation: $5

To support PCTN, please visit: http://www.pctn.org/

Day 26: Religious Freedom Day

Each year, the President declares January 16th to be Religious Freedom Day, and calls upon Americans to "observe this day through appropriate events and activities in homes, schools, and places of worship." The day is the anniversary of the passage, in 1786, of the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom. Thomas Jefferson drafted the legislation and considered it one of his great­est achievements. It stopped the practice of taxing people to pay for the support of the local clergy, and it protected the civil rights of people to express their religious beliefs without suffering discrimination. The men who drafted the U.S. Constitution leaned heav­ily on Jefferson’s statute in establishing the First Amend­ment’s guarantee of religious freedom. Today, that protec­tion is as important as ever.

The Center for Constitutional Rights is dedicated to advancing and protecting the rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Founded in 1966 by attorneys who represented civil rights movements in the South, CCR is a non-profit legal and educational organization committed to the creative use of law as a positive force for social change.

CCR uses litigation proactively to advance the law in a positive direction, to empower poor communities and communities of color, to guarantee the rights of those with the fewest protections and least access to legal resources, to train the next generation of constitutional and human rights attorneys, and to strengthen the broader movement for constitutional and human rights. Our work began on behalf of civil rights activists, and over the last four decades CCR has lent its expertise and support to virtually every popular movement for social justice.

Donation: $5

To support The Center for Constitutional Rights, please visit: http://ccrjustice.org/

Day 25: Bald Eagle Day

Today is Bald Eagle Day. The Bald Eagle is a large eagle of North America that has a white head and dark wings and body. The Bald Eagle is the National Bird of the United States. No states have the Bald Eagle as their state bird, although Alaska has a large population of Bald Eagles.

In some places around the country Bald Eagle Appreciation Day is celebrated by offering outdoor viewing of bald eagles through spotting scopes and other educational opportunities for families and outdoor enthusiasts, including live bald eagle programs, eagle and raptor exhibits and presentations, children’s craft activities, a life-size eagle nest replica, eagle drawings by students, and artwork and photography by local artists. Birding experts show up at primary event locations, and maps and information related to other nearby bald eagle watching locations are provided for those interested in self-guided eagle watching field trips.    

Today’s donation is given to Audubon. Their mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity. For more than a century, Audubon has built a legacy of conservation success by mobilizing the strength of its network of members, Chapters, Audubon Centers, state offices and dedicated professional staff to connect people with nature and the power to protect it. A powerful combination of science, education and policy expertise combine in efforts ranging from protection and restoration of local habitats to the implementation of policies that safeguard birds, other wildlife and the resources that sustain us all—in the U.S. and Across the Americas.  

Donation: $5

If you are interested in supporting Audubon, please visit:

http://www.audubon.org/

Day 24: International Quality of Life Month

January is International Quality of Life Month. This first month of the year symbolizes a new beginning and is a great time to reflect on the quality of your life and its purpose. While evaluating your quality of life, you may think about your relationships, community, work, school, finances, health, fitness, spirituality or other segments of your life. Closely related to quality of life is life purpose. Identifying your life purpose is a key part of celebrating what you bring to the world and how you contribute to your own and others' quality of life. International Quality of Life Month is a global recognition of the importance of a high quality of life that encompasses family, community, education, work, finances, health, leisure and spirituality.

Human Rights Watch is one of the world’s leading independent organizations dedicated to defending and protecting human rights. Human Rights Watch is dedicated to protecting the human rights of people around the world. They stand with victims and activists to prevent discrimination, to uphold political freedom, to protect people from inhumane conduct in wartime, and to bring offenders to justice. They investigate and expose human rights violations and hold abusers accountable. They challenge governments and those who hold power to end abusive practices and respect international human rights law. They enlist the public and the international community to support the cause of human rights for all.

Donation: $5

If you wish to support Human Rights Watch, please visit:  http://www.hrw.org/en/                     

Day 23: National Rubber Ducky Day

The rubber ducky bath toy was first manufactured during the late 1800's as a way to make bath time more enjoyable for toddlers and babies. It has since turned into a popular bath time icon known worldwide. On January 10, 1992, over 29,000 rubber ducky bath toys from a Chinese company were washed off of a cargo ship. Months after the storm, about two thirds of the rubber duckies had made there way to the shores of Indonesia, Australia, and South America. Some of the ducks also entered into the Bering Straight between Alaska and Russia where they became trapped in the Arctic ice. The ducks slowly made their way through the ice at one mile per day and in 2000, they were spotted in the Northern Atlantic Ocean. Talk about some world traveled ducks!

Save the Children is the world's leading independent organization for children. Their vision is a world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation. Their mission is to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives. When disaster strikes around the world, Save the Children is there to save lives with food, medical care and education and remains to help communities rebuild through long-term recovery programs. As quickly and as effectively as Save the Children responds to tsunamis and civil conflict, it works to resolve the ongoing struggles children face every day — poverty, hunger, illiteracy and disease — and replaces them with hope for the future.

Donation : $5

If you wish to support Save The Children, please visit: http://www.savethechildren.org

Day 22: National Pharmacist Day

National Pharmacist Day is celebrated today. The day is dedicated to the pharmacists who play a very important role in medical care. A pharmacist is the person who has the knowledge of the chemical composition of all medicines. They are the ones who can explain to you about all the aspects of the prescribed medicines and the side-effects of the drugs. There are people who have to take lots of drugs together. The pharmacists can only realize and warn you about the inter-action of drugs together. National Pharmacist Day is about recognizing the important role of the pharmacists. If you are visiting a pharmacy on the day, make sure that you wish your pharmacist a very happy National Pharmacist Day.

One of the ways to combat malaria is with vaccines, medicines designed by scientists, pharmacists. Malaria No More was born of a simple, startling insight: that ending malaria's death grip on Africa is the best humanitarian investment that can be made in the world today.

Malaria No More works to maximize results in the race to save lives by leveraging every opportunity to end malaria deaths as quickly and effectively as possible. Malaria No More is determined to end malaria deaths in Africa by 2015—and they’re helping the world get it done. Malaria No More leverages high-impact awareness campaigns to engage the world, global advocacy to rally leadership and strategic investments in Africa to accelerate progress, build capacity and save lives.

Malaria is a preventable and treatable disease and recent progress shows that malaria's days are numbered — but continued help is needed. Together, through collaboration, education, and donations all concerned can make malaria no more.

Donation: $5

If you are interested in supporting Malaria No More, please visit: http://www.malarianomore.org/