Observances & Commemorations is a component of AdvanceEdition, AScribe's essential newsletter for media professionals in the public interest sector. This feature notes recurring campaigns mounted each year by public interest organizations to increase awareness of important social, cultural or health issues.

See also AScribe's Key Dates, a calendar of future coverage opportunities.

* National Safety Month

The National Safety Council designates June as National Safety Month in a campaign to prevent accidental injury and death. Four weeks in June will each have a specific safety focus: June 1-7, teen driving; June 8-14, falls prevention; June 15-21, overexertion; June 22-28, distracted driving. See:

http://www.nsc.org/nsm/

* Fireworks Safety Month

Each year, there is a spike in the incidence of eye, face and hand injuries during the weeks surrounding the Fourth of July. Many states outlaw the sale of fireworks, but laws alone are not enough to reduce the casualties. From June 16-July 16, 2006, an estimated 6,400 fireworks-related injuries were treated in hospital emergency rooms. Of these, about 30 percent were to children age 5 to 9. See:

http://www.fireworksafety.com/

* Home Safety Month

Sponsored annually by the Home Safety Council, this campaign asks the public to take simple steps to create a home environment that is safe from such common hazards as falls, fires and burns, poisonings and drownings. See:

http://www.homesafetycouncil.org/hsmplanners/

* Gay & Lesbian Pride Month

This observance has its origins in the "Stonewall Rebellion" that began 40 years ago, on June 27, 1969. On that night in New York City, a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar, sparked spontaneous resistance by gay men and lesbians. The resulting melee and several days of demonstrations that followed were the catalyst for the gay rights movement. From 1998 to 2000, President Clinton proclaimed June as Gay & Lesbian Pride Month, but President Bush did not follow suit. President Obama has been asked to renew the proclamation. Most major cities have parades on different days throughout the month. Much of the activity occurs during the third week of the month, which is celebrated as Gay Pride Week. (Also cited as National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Month).

* UV Safety Month

Long term exposure to the sun can lead to potentially blinding conditions such as cataracts and macular degeneration. The American Academy of Ophthalmology notes that reflected sunlight - light that bounces off water or snow, for example - can be the most dangerous type of UV (ultraviolet) light because it is intensified. The AAO says children as well as adults should wear sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of UV-A and UV-B rays and a broad-brimmed hat. See:

http://www.aao.org/aaoesite/eyemd/uv.cfm

http://www.preventblindness.org/uv/

* National Internet Safety Month

The attraction of the Internet as a social enabler may leave children vulnerable to such online threats as sexual predators, hackers, viruses, spyware and phishing (the attempt to gather personal and financial information through deceit). In a 2005 resolution designating June as Internet Safety Month, the U.S. Senate called on Internet safety organizations, law enforcement, educators, community leaders, parents and volunteers to join forces against the problem. See:

http://www.isafe.org/

* National Aphasia Awareness Month

Aphasia, an impairment of the ability to use or comprehend words, is usually acquired as a result of a stroke or other brain injury. Twenty percent of stroke victims suffer from aphasia. See:

http://aphasia.org/

* Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month

Myasthenia Gravis is a neuromuscular disease affecting the voluntary muscles of the body, causing such symptoms as drooping eyelids, blurred vision, slurred speech, difficulty in swallowing or breathing, and limb weakness. It afflicts an estimated 36,000 Americans. See:

http://www.myasthenia.org

* Scleroderma Awareness Month

A degenerative disorder of the body's connective tissue, scleroderma can damage the digestive, respiratory, circulatory and immune systems. About 80,000 to 100,000 Americans, most of them women, have the more serious, systemic form of the disease. See:

http://www.scleroderma.org/

* Wedding Season

June is the traditional month for weddings. Newspapers produce special sections on weddings. Stories are generated primarily by style or feature sections. The media are always eager for stories from sociologists, anthropologists and psychologists that shed new light on the state of marriage.

* Adopt-a-Cat Month

Thousands of homeless cats and kittens are euthanized every spring and summer because there are not enough loving homes for them. The American Humane Society sponsors this observance to promote cat adoptions from shelters and educate the public on responsible pet care. The society cites evidence that cats can help their owners live longer: Research shows that picking up a cat has a calming effect on humans, causing blood pressure to drop and the heart rate to slow. See:

http://www.americanhumane.org

* Dairy Month

The National Dairy Council promotes dairy products as healthy foods that may help keep weight problems and high blood pressure in check, as well as reduce the risk of osteoporosis and certain cancers. See:

http://www.nationaldairycouncil.org

* National Recreation and Parks Month

This annual celebration is promoted by the National Recreation and Parks Association. Many state and local parks and recreation agencies organize events. The observance recognizes the many contributions of employees and volunteers who keep public parks clean and safe, organize and coach youth sports teams, provide educational programming on health, nutrition, first aid and gardening, and advocate for more open space and better trails. See:

http://www.nrpa.org

* Group B Strep Awareness Month

Group B streptococcus (GBS) is a type of bacterium that causes illness in newborn babies, pregnant women, the elderly, and adults with other illnesses such as diabetes or liver disease. GBS is the most common cause of life-threatening infections in newborns. See:

http://www.thejessecause.org/pages/home.html

* National Hot Dog Month

Americans will consume two billion hot dogs in July, including 150 million on the Fourth, according to the National Hotdog and Sausage Council. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce designated July as National Hot Dog Month in 1957. See:

http://www.hot-dog.org/

* National Ice Cream Month

In 1984, the notoriously sweet-toothed President Ronald Reagan designated July as National Ice Cream Month, and the third Sunday of the month as National Ice Cream Day. Reagan called for observation of these events with "appropriate ceremonies and activities." Ninety percent of Americans eat ice cream, according to the International Dairy Foods Association. The U.S. ice cream industry generates more than $21 billion in annual sales; about 9 percent of U.S.-produced milk is used to make ice cream. See:

http://www.idfa.org/facts/icmonth/page1.cfm