Tag Archives: 2020

Chinese New Year: The Year of the Rat

23 Thursday Jan 2020

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Happy New Year! No, we’re not losing our minds. We know that the calendar says January 23, but Saturday is the start of Chinese New Year.

You may be interested in learning that Chinese New Year is celebrated by more than 20% of the world’s population. Also known as the Spring Festival, the celebration was originally created as a ceremonial day to pray to the gods for a successful harvest season. Today, people treat the holiday as one to welcome spring and new beginnings.

The Spring Festival is the longest Chinese holiday, taking place from January 25 to February 8. The dates vary each year as the holiday timeframe is based on the lunar calendar. On the day before the new year, families thoroughly sweep their homes to remove all of the bad luck and make space for the good. They then gather with loved ones for a reunion dinner. That evening, fireworks are set off to keep monsters and bad luck away. Learn more about the traditions.

Each year is represented by one of the 12 zodiac animals. 2020 is the Year of the Rat. Respective years include 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008 and 2020. Those of you who were born in these years are known for your “acute observation, positive attitude and flexible mind.” Learn more about the Rat’s personality and characteristics.

Generally, your zodiac year is seen as an unlucky one, but 2020 will unfold reasonably well for the Rat. Here is a list of lucky elements that may help keep your spirits high:

Lucky colors: blue, gold, green

Lucky numbers: 2, 3

Lucky flowers: lily, African violet

Believe it or not, this will not be the last New Year we will celebrate in 2020. As many of you already know, in just five short months, we will be preparing for the Lionistic New Year. Lions Pride would like to thank you for your dedication and service to the Lions organization and ask you to consider a donation/Gift in the New Year.

Will you plan to celebrate the Year of the Rat? We’d love to hear in the comments below.

Happy Chinese New Year!

Celebrating Friendship with A.A. Milne

16 Thursday Jan 2020

Posted by in Lions Camp, News, Special Events

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 “We didn’t realize that we were making memories. We just knew we were having fun.” -Winnie the Pooh

We know that some time may have passed since you’ve thought about Christopher Robin. However, if you are a parent or grandparent, there’s no doubt that you are familiar with the name.

Saturday, January 18, is fondly known as Winnie the Pooh Day, the anniversary of A.A. Milne’s birthday. The author was best known for creating a collection of stories surrounding his son, Christopher Robin, and his honey-loving teddy bear.

Within these stories, Milne sent Christopher on wonderful adventures with Pooh, Piglet and the other characters from the Hundred Acre Wood. Each story always brought a lot of fun, as well as an important life lesson. It should come as no wonder that over 50 million copies have been sold worldwide, over the last 90+ years.

All of this discussion about growth and adventure makes us think of another place where friendships are made, a little closer to home.

The Wisconsin Lions Camp provides an experience for children and adults with special needs to come together for a week of joy. The goals are to assist in the development of self-confidence, interdependence, social skills, outdoor recreational skills and environmental awareness, but most importantly, to have a fun, safe, memorable adventure – all at no cost to their families.

Do you know a child or adult that would benefit from this experience? Please encourage them to apply! As of today, online and paper applications are now available. See the complete 2020 schedule below: 

Block One

 

June 7 – June 12                     Adults who are Blind or Visually Impaired

June 14 – June 19                   Children with Type 1 & 11 Diabetes

June 21 – June 26                   Children with Type 1 & 11 Diabetes

June 28 – July 3                       Children with Intellectual Disabilities or Autism

July 5 – July 10                         Children with Intellectual Disabilities or Autism

July 12 – July 15                      Children with Intellectual Disabilities or Autism

 

Block Two

July 19 – July 24                      Children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

July 25 – July 31                      Children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

August 2 – August 7                Children who are Blind or Visually Impaired and Epilepsy

August 9 – August 13              Adults 18-25 with Intellectual Disabilities or Educational Autism (by invitation only)

August 17 – August 21            Adults who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing

 

There’s nothing more valuable in life than being in the company of friends. Consider celebrating the unofficial occasion finding a copy of one of A.A. Milne’s classics.

Happy Winnie the Pooh Day!

National Spaghetti Day

02 Thursday Jan 2020

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2020 has officially arrived! While the changing of the calendar reminds us that it’s time to better ourselves with new exercise routines and dieting tips, we have something else on our mind – carbohydrates.

Saturday, January 4 is National Spaghetti Day, and we’re celebrating the best we know how – with fun facts about spaghetti and meatballs:

  • If you were to travel to Italy, you would likely not see spaghetti and meatballs on the menu. Contrary to popular belief, spaghetti and meatballs is not an Italian dish. The European country may be well known for its pasta, but It is believed that Italian immigrants modified their version of the meatball (known as the polpette) to be more budget-friendly when they first came to America. (Smithsonian)
  • Spaghetti is the plural form of the Italian word, spaghetto, which means “thin string” or “twine.” (Bon Appetit)
  • The third president of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, is often credited as the first person to introduce America to pasta. (History)
  • Spaghetti is only one of over 600 pasta shapes. There is short pasta, long pasta, pasta that can be used in soups and pasta that can be stuffed. Each kind has its own individual purpose. (Pasta Fits)
  • The average American eats about 20 pounds of pasta each year. We understand that this may sound like a lot, but it’s only a fraction of what an Italian person consumes. The average person in Italy eats more than 51 pounds annually. (Tastemade)
  • On April 1, 1957, BBC aired a false documentary featuring Swiss spaghetti crops. After its debut, the news station received mixed reviews. Hundreds of hopeful viewers were questioning where they could get plans of their own, while others failed to see the humor in the broadcast. To this day, this spoof is known as one of the most brilliant April Fools pranks in history. (BBC)

Will you be celebrating National Spaghetti Day with a big bowl of pasta, or will you be staying away from carbs in the immediate future? Let us know in the comments below.

No matter how you choose to celebrate this fun unofficial holiday, we hope you can use these fun facts to impress your family and friends. Happy National Spaghetti Day from Lions Pride!