AASFE May newsletter  

  IN THIS ISSUE

  1. Hot date for May: Root Canal Appreciation Day
  2. Ideas: Mother’s Day. graduation gifts

  Hot dates for May
 
May 1: Amtrak Anniversary (1971)
  Better Hearing and Speech Month
  Clean Air Month
  Eat Dessert First Month
  Family Wellness Month
  Get Caught Reading Month
  Healthy Vision Month
  Learn German Month
  Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month
  Motorcycle Safety Month
  National Allergy/Asthma Awareness Month
  National Arthritis Month
  National Barbecue Month
  National Bike Month
  National Correct Posture Month
  National Egg Month
  National FairyGodmother Week (1-7)
  National Hamburger Month
  National Hepatitis Awareness Month
  National Meditation Month
  National Mental Health Month
  National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month
  National Physical fitness and Sports Month
  National Prepare to Buy a Home Month
  National Preservation Month
  National Salsa Month
  National Stroke Awareness Month
  Older Americans Month
  Women’s Health Care Month

May 2: Great American Grump Out
  Robert’s Rules Day – Robert’s Rules of Order
  NEA’s Read Across America Day
May 3: National Day of Prayer
May 4: International Respect for Chickens Day
  No Pants Day
May 5: Cartoonists Day
  Join Hands Day
  Kentucky Derby Day
  Cinco de Mayo
  National Homebrew Day
  Totally Chipotle Day
May 6: Be Kind to Animals Week (May 6-12)
  Flexible Work Arrangements Week (6-12)
  Goodwill Industries Week (6-12)
  National Family Week (6-12)
  National Nurses Day and Week
  National Pet Week (6-12)
  No Diet Day
  Teacher Appreciation Week (6-12)
May 7: Life Coach Recognition Week (7-13)
  Melanoma Monday
  National Wildflower Week (7-12)
May 8: Childhood Depression Awareness Day
  National Teacher Day
  V-E Day Anniversary (1945)
  World Red Cross Day
May 9: Donate a Day’s Wages to Charity Day
  National Nightshift Workers Day
  National School Nurse Day
  Root Canal Appreciation Day
May 11: America’s Anniversary Weekend (11-13) – Jamestown Settlement
  Eat What You Want Day
  International Migratory Bird Day
May 12: Limerick Day
  National Babysitters Day
  National Tourism Week/See America Week (12-20)
  Odometer Invented (1847)
  Stamp Out Hunger – NALC National Food Drive
May 13: Babysitter Safety Day
  Kiwanis Prayer Week (13-19)
  Mothers Day
  National Alcohol and Other Drug-Related Birth Defects Week (13-19)
  National Family Month (May 13-June 17)
  National Nursing Home Week (13-19)
  National Police Week (13-19)
  National Transportation Week (13-19)
  Prepare Tomorrow’s Parents Month (May 13-June 17)
  Race for the Cure
  Reading Is Fun Week (13-19)
  Work at Home Moms Week (13-19)
May 14: 400th Anniversary of Jamestown, Va.
  National Meeting Planners Appreciation Day
  National Receptionists Day
  National Stuttering Awareness Week (14-21)
May 15: Nylon Stockings Anniversary (1940)
Peace Officer Memorial Day
May 16: Cannes Film Festival
May 17: New York Stock Exchange Established Anniversary (1792)
May 18: Celebrate Your Elected Officials Day
 International Museum Day
 National Bike to Work Day
 National Defense Transportation Day
 National Pizza Party Day
 National Safe Boating Week (18-25)
 Visit Your Relatives Day
May 19: Armed Forces Day
May 20: National Dog Bite Prevention Week (20-26)
 National Effectiveness Week (20-26)
 National New Friends, Old Friends Week (20-26)
 Neighbor Day
 World Trade Week (20-26)
May 21: American Red Cross Founding Anniversary (1881)
 “I Need a Patch for That”  Day
 National Backyard Games Week (21-28)
 National Waitstaff Day
May 22: National Maritime Day
 National Geographic Bee: National Finals
May 23: Bonnie and Clyde Death Anniversary (1928)
 World Turtle Day
May 24: Brother’s Day
 International Tiara Day
May 25: National Missing Children’s Day
 National Tap Dance Day
 Star Wars Released 30th Anniversary
 Spoleto in Charleston, S.C. (May 25-June 10)
May 26: International Jazz Day
May 27: Indianapolis 500 Race
May 28: Memorial Day
May 30: National Senior Health and Fitness Day
 Scripps National Spelling Bee Finals
May 31: Blue Moon
“Survivor” TV Premiere Anniversary (2000)
 Take Your Parents to the Playground Day

 Source: Chase’s Calendar of Events

May ideas

Ideas from Suzy Fleming, Features Editor Florida Today
 
SUPER HEROES: We ran a story the Wednesday before “Spider-Man 3” opened asking people what qualities make a good super hero. Then on Thursday, we worked with our local minor league baseball team to have a “Dress Like Your Favorite Super Hero” contest. They had a costume parade after the game and gave prizes to the best. (Unfortunately, they were not able to offer discount admission to the game for people in costume this time around, but they’re very eager to work with us in the future if they get more advance notice.) We’ll do video and online galleries of the people in costume.
If it’s too late to swipe this idea for Spider-Man, we’ll probably do something similar for “Pirates of the Caribbean.” The staduim already has a Dress Like a Pirate thing planned.

GRADUATION: Last year for graduation, we asked five seniors what gifts they’d like to receive in different price ranges (less than $25, $25-$50, $50-$100, sky’s the limit). We ran it in a chart format with their mugs across the top.

Ideas from Jose Franco, entertainment editor at Herald-Journal, Spartanburg

MOTHER’S DAY: Last year we took a page from Forrest Gump and asked our readers to complete Gump’s line “My Mama Always Said...” and we got a lot of the great advice that moms have handed out for years. We ran a big photo of Forrest on his park bench.

A couple of years ago, we did our own version of “Funniest Mom in America” and asked readers to submit funny stories about their moms. We gave the mom winner a gift certificate to a day spa.

Why not do a spin on the TV show “How I Met Your Mom,” and get dads to tell how they met their kids’ moms.
 
GRADUATION: For our graduation section this year, we are asking each school to nominate a male and female unsung hero. They have to provide all of the information in a Q&A format plus provide photos.  

Why not look at recent or past celebrity graduation speeches and get speech experts to rate the speeches and the advice they hand out. The best to the worst. Make a wish list of celebrity guest speakers.

POP CULTURE: Who should replace Bob Barker on “The Price is Right,” or Rosie on “The View?” What are we going to do without Gilmore Girls and The Sopranos? What new shows are going to be renewed or canceled? Should “Lost,” “Prison Break,” “Jericho” come back next year? Will there be a fourth Pirates movie or Spider-Man movie? Is anyone getting Paula Abdul’s Greatest Hits album? Who’s going to win American Idol? And who’s going to have a career besides Sanjaya? Who’s going to win Dancing With The Stars?  

SUMMER CONCERTS: What concerts are can’t miss? What concerts are priced too steep? Give your readers 10 concerts to watch and 10 concerts to miss. Add up concert tickets, parking, gas, dinner, a program, a beer, etc.

SUMMER VACATION: Talk to travel agents on the costs of taking a summer vacation. What can we expect to pay? What’s the least expensive or most expensive trip you can take this summer? Where can you get relief from the heat or where can you sit by the beach with a drink in your hand?

Idea from Denise Joyce,  Q editor, Chicago Tribune

PET NAMES:  We just got good response to a story we're running on Mother's Day (although it could run anytime or save this idea for Grandparents Day, the first Sunday after Labor Day, I think), on pet names for Grandmother and Grandfather. We got more than 150 responses and some of there are a hoot ("Motz and Potz"?). Here's the top of the story:
    When Q asked readers to tell us their nicknames for grandparents, we figured that many of today’s elders shun the traditional terms of endearment on the grounds that they would make them feel, well, elderly. And as we expected, a lot of you prefer such alternate pet names as Nana, Pop-Pop and Gigi. What we didn’t expect was Grandpa Moose. Not one, but two Graham Crackers. And a Reg, for Regular.
   We categorized the submissions...for instance:
   GIBBERISH/MISPRONUNCIATIONS: Bom Bom, Dadoo, Mena, Bompa, Gaga, Bop, Gokky, Bam, Maka, Dapidah (Dapidah?). And one hepcat grandma is Bebop.
   GRANDPARENT COUPLES … OR ’60s FOLK ACTS?
   Goat and Sami.
   Gonnie and Pardney.
   Nana Kayde and Poppy Doc.
   Poppy-O and Nonna Moo.
   Motz and Potz.