August 1 is Friendship Day. A reminder that friendship crosses all ethnic, race and age boundaries. And speaking of age, August 21 is National Senior Citizens Day.

Monthly Events

Children’s Vision and Learning Month. A campaign by the American Foundation for Vision Awareness to encourage parents to have children’s vision checked before the start of the school year. Check "The American Foundation for Vision Awareness" (AFVA) to see if there is an office in your state.

Psoriasis Awareness Month. Psoriasis is a much misunderstood disease. It causes not only physical discomfort but mental discomfort as well. Although the disease is not contagious it can disfigure the skin. For information, go to the National Psoriasis Foundation website, http://www.psoriasis.org.

National Water Quality Month. Drinking plenty of water is essential to your health, especially on hot summer days. Water plays a vital role in our body’s well-being, and maintaining the cleanliness and quality of our drinking water is an ongoing concern. For more information on water USA quality, go to http://wqic.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?info_center=7&tax_level=1&tax_subject=596

Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15). Approved by President Lyndon Johnson in 1968 and expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988, this is a celebration of Hispanic heritage and culture, as well as recognition of the contributions of Hispanic Americans to the United States and to celebrate Hispanic heritage and culture. Sept. 15 is the anniversary of independence of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, which all declared independence in 1821. Mexico, Chile and Belize celebrate their independence on Sept. 16, Sept. 18, and Sept. 21, respectively.

Weekly Events

World Breastfeeding Week, Aug. 1-7. Sponsored by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action, a global network of individuals and organizations concerned with the protection, promotion, and support of breastfeeding worldwide. For more information go to http://worldbreastfeedingweek.org/

National Assistance Dog Week, Aug. 8-14. Assistance Dogs greatly enhance the lives of their handlers, giving them a new sense of freedom and independence. The three types of Assistance Dogs are Guide Dogs for the blind and the visually impaired, Hearing Dogs for the deaf and hearing-impaired, and Service Dogs for people with disabilities other than those related to vision or hearing. For more information to go http://www.assistancedogweek.org/

Elvis Week, Aug. 10-16. Celebrating the life of the American rock and roll icon, this Memphis event includes a Graceland Trivia Tour, a candlelight vigil at Graceland Mansion, youth karaoke, and, of course, lots and lots of Elvis tribute artists. For more information go to http://www.elvisweek.com/

National Safe at Home Week, Aug. 23-27. More people are injured in and around home than at the workplace, and studies have also shown that the costs to both employees and employers from home injuries are higher than work-related injury costs. Sponsored by Safe At Home, www.safeathomeonline.com, a safety professional and emergency response provider to protect families and their quality of lives by preventing injuries at home. For more information go to http://www.safeathomeonline.com/safetyweek.htm

Daily Events

Friendship Day, Aug. 1. A reminder that friendship crosses all ethnic, race and age boundaries. Pull out all the stops and let your friends know you truly appreciate them. For more information go to http://www.friendshipday.org/friendship-day-history.html

International Beer Day, Aug. 5. First celebrated in 2007. The three basic principles of International Beer Day: Drink beer, gather with friends, and enjoy yourself. Visit our own Beer Fox at BellOnline's popular Beer and Brewing Site http://www.bellaonline.com/site/Beer also visit http://www.internationalbeerday.com

International Left-handers Day, Aug. 13. The Left-Handers Club initiated this celebration of sinistrality in 1992 to increase public awareness of the benefits and disadvantages of being left-handed. For more about both the club and the day, go to http://www.lefthandersday.com/about-club.html

National Senior Citizens Day, Aug. 21. Established by President Ronald Reagan in 1988. The official proclamation read, in part, “For all they have achieved throughout life and for all they continue to accomplish, we owe older citizens our thanks and a heartfelt salute.” For more information visit http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/speeches/1988/081988b.htm