UNDATED – This week we will celebrate turtles, dirty dishes and Devil’s Food cake.
Today is National HIV Vaccine Awareness Day.
The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) observes National HIV Vaccine Awareness Day to show gratitude to all the medical professionals who are working day and night to find a cure for AIDS and prevent the spread of HIV.
The concept of HIV Vaccine Awareness Day originated from a speech by U.S. President Bill Clinton on May 18, 1997. He emphasized the importance of developing a vaccine for HIV within the coming decade, saying: “Only a truly effective, preventive HIV vaccine can limit and eventually eliminate the threat of AIDS.”
The first HIV Vaccine Awareness Day was observed in 1998 to commemorate the one-year anniversary of Bill Clinton’s speech on the topic. Every year, various organizations around the country organize events to make people more aware of HIV as well as its prevention. This helps bring together individuals in a collective effort to prevent the spread of the HIV pandemic.
Approximately 1.1 million people in the U.S. are living with HIV and 39,000 Americans are newly infected with it every year. An estimated 14 percent of these people are unaware that they are infected and one-quarter of those infected are female.
Whether you’re a mother, father, sister, brother, or roommate, no one likes dirty dishes. That is why on Tuesday, May 18, we celebrate National No Dirty Dishes Day.
A holiday most likely created by an upset parent, National No Dirty Dishes Day has sinks around the world rejoicing at the thought of having a light workload and a clear space on this day. So keep sinks happy, and do your part by saying, “NO” to dirty dishes.
Rich in flavor and moist in texture, devil’s food cake is a favorite for chocolate-lovers. They get their chance to celebrate their love for the dessert on National Devil’s Food Cake Day, held on Wednesday, May 19. With devil’s food cake, you get all the taste, and all the chocolate.
Devil’s food cake is not your ordinary chocolate cake. It’s a unique mix of ingredients that brings out the chocolate. Recipes often call for boiling water, instead of milk, and some even add coffee to bring out the chocolate flavor! Mixing science with desserts, the cake gets its darker color from its higher pH levels due to the added baking soda. The cake uses cocoa instead of chocolate squares, making it even fluffier! Some say the cake gets its name to distinctly contrast from the Angel’s food cake, which is much lighter in comparison.
The National Rescue Dog Day Thursday, May 20 brings with it a promise of love, friendship, and kindness. Each year, millions of animals, specifically dogs, are abandoned by their owners and end up on the streets. Many of these animals are used to a sheltered life, and this, in turn, makes it difficult for them to fend for themselves out in the world. Food sources are hard to come by. Moreover, humans and other animals also pose a threat to these abandoned animals.
The National Rescue Dog Day on May 20 was founded by Lisa Wiehebrink. She is an author as well as the founder of “Tails That Teach.” Much of Wiehebrink’s works center around humans and their connection with animals. Her books, whose target audience is children, talk about the value of kindness, unconditional love, patience, empathy, etc. She believes that instilling children with said virtues towards animals will help them later on in life when they deal with humans in adulthood. Wiehebrink came up with the concept of the day after she rescued her dog Cooper and several others in 2009.
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), which is a nonprofit organization established in 1866, more than three million dogs enter shelter homes every year.
NASCAR Day has got us excited with anticipation this Friday, May 21. The iconic car race has been happening for several decades now, first starting in 1948 on Daytona Beach, located in Florida, U.S. The NASCAR event takes place for 10 months each year. Millions from all over the world tune in to watch the races. Companies and sponsors have also created and manufactured special collectibles for commercial sales. Seeing the popularity of the event, the NASCAR Foundation created NASCAR Day to help raise funds and awareness for the betterment of children’s lives all over the world.
The first NASCAR Day was commemorated in 2003 by the NASCAR Foundation. An acronym for the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing, the foundation aimed to raise funds for children’s welfare whilst celebrating the racers, crew, companies/sponsors, and the legions of fans all over the world. NASCAR, founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, is an auto racing sanctioning and operating company. It is most known for its stock car racing event that takes place not only in the U.S., but also in Mexico, Europe, and Canada. Every year, NASCAR endorses more than 1,500 races at 100 tracks.
On National Solitaire Day on Saturday May 22, let’s acknowledge the brilliance behind the game of solitaire and how it helped entertain us for years. There is so much history behind the game and numerous fun facts! Here’s all you need to know.
Remember the hours spent playing solitaire after it was launched on Microsoft Windows in 1990? Well, you aren’t alone in your obsession with this card game, since there are more than 242 million people from over 200 countries who are equally addicted to it.
However, solitaire wasn’t solely created as a fun game by Microsoft. It was created to teach people how to use the mouse attached to computers and train them to become accustomed to the device. Today, solitaire is one of the most beloved and viral PC games known to mankind and, seeing how it is played by millions of people across the globe, it seems like the trend of solitaire is going to continue for years to come.
Due to the popularity of the game, Microsoft declared May 22 as National Solitaire Day in 2018. The purpose of the day is to recognize the card game that has reigned supreme for over 30 years by hosting large-scale celebrations
Turtles and tortoises are common sightings in parables, stories, and pop culture and we celebrate World Turtle Day on Sunday, May 23 to honor these resilient animals. Turtles and tortoises are associated with wisdom and perseverance. They are reptiles that are found in many environments all around the world.
These creatures play an important role in their respective ecosystems. They dig holes that are inhabited by other creatures and keep our beaches clean by feeding on dead fish that wash up on the shores. They maintain an ecological balance and, therefore, it’s important to conserve these gentle animals.
It’s easy to get confused between a tortoise and turtle. The main difference between the two is that turtles sometimes live in the water, while tortoises only live on the land. Turtles live up to the age of 40 and have streamlined and mostly flat shells. On the other hand, tortoises can live up to 300 years and they have larger, more domed shells. You will mostly find turtles in the sea, while tortoises inhabit dense jungles and grasslands.
Turtles and tortoises are two different animals but this day is dedicated to celebrating and protecting both. The day was first celebrated by American Tortoise Rescue in 2002 and it highlights the suffering and the dwindling numbers of these animals due to human interference and environmental hazards. Schools, rescue centers, and nature lovers all come together on this day to learn more about these creatures and pledge their allegiance to help save them.
Information, nationaltoday.com
