Tag Archives: calendar

Graduation Fun Facts

17 Thursday May 2018

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With these bouts of 80+ degree temperatures, we’re getting a first-hand experience of

accomplishment ceremony education graduation

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

what’s to come. Summer is finally on its way. It won’t be long until Lions Camp is filled with the sound of campers’ laughter (our favorite time of the year!) As for the rest of us, our calendars will be filled with weekend barbecues, wedding celebrations and, of course, graduation parties.

This weekend, thousands of students will walk across the stage and out into the world as graduates. Let’s celebrate their educational success with a fun more fun facts about graduation.

  • The first known diplomas were made of sheepskin and tied with ribbons. As paper-making became easier, they were replaced with parchment. Ribbons were eventually removed from the process altogether because the diplomas were too difficult to frame.
  • 16th Century Church Dignitaries were the first people to wear the famous commencement hat. The caps were called “mortarboards” because of their similarity to the masonry tool called the “mortarboard.” The tassel wasn’t added until the 19th
  • Everyone is familiar with the tradition of graduates throwing their caps in the air, but did you know the practice can be dangerous? In 2008, Anglia Ruskin University in England tried to ban cap-tossing after a student received stitches when a mortarboard came down on his head a few years prior, but the practice has since been reinstated. Remember, to be aware of your surroundings.

Here at Lions Pride, we’d like to wish all of our state graduates best wishes. We know that the road wasn’t always easy, but the payoff is great. We hope you have a chance to reflect on your accomplishment and know there is a bright future ahead. Congratulations!

 

“Your education is a dress rehearsal for a life that is yours to lead.” – Nora Ephron

Predicting the Weather Before Punxsutawney Phil

01 Thursday Feb 2018

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Here we are again – another month has come and gone. Now that we’ve flipped themarmot in the alps calendar to the month of February, we are anxiously awaiting Phil’s prediction about the upcoming spring, but is there a way to beat him to the punch?

Yes! We think we know of a shortcut. Before we had Punxatawney Phil, we had the Old Farmer’s Almanac, which may be a better resource than our furry friend – but we’ll let you be the judge.

Robert B. Thomas started the Old Farmer’s Almanac back in 1792. The Almanac records and predicts astronomical events such as the rising and setting and setting of the sun, tides, weather and other unusual phenomena. According to the almanac, Thomas would use a complex series of natural cycles to devise a secret weather forecasting formula. (Today, the formula is housed in a locked black box in the Almanac offices in Dublin, New Hampshire.)

Traditionally, the almanac was said to be 80 percent accurate, but in press materials, the almanac claimed to 96.3% accuracy for its 2016 predictions of a “bleak and biting winter.” Meteorologists and weather experts don’t buy it, but we think it’s worth a look!

The 2018 Long Range Weather Report for the Midwest says,

Winter will be warmer than normal, with the coldest periods in late November, early and late December, early January, and early February. Precipitation and snowfall will be below normal, with the snowiest periods in mid- to late December and early to mid-February. April and May will be cooler than normal, with near-normal precipitation. 

From the sound of this report, we don’t anticipate an early spring, although the weather report doesn’t discuss March in any detail. Here at Lions Pride, we are guessing that Punxsutawney Phil will not see his shadow tomorrow, but we certainly hope that we’re wrong. Do you think we’ll see six more weeks of winter?

Wishing all of us an early spring!

Unique May Holidays Worth Celebrating

27 Thursday Apr 2017

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Although it may be hard to believe, May Chalkboard WritingMay is already right around the corner! By this time next week, we will be a few days into the fifth month of the year. While we are well aware of the traditional holidays such as Mother’s Day and Memorial Day, there are several other official and unofficial fun holidays worth celebrating:

May 1 – May Day

Considered the first unofficial day of summer in many countries around the world, May Day allows friends to get out and celebrate the new season. Learn more about the origins of the holiday.

May 4 – Star Wars Day

A relatively recent holiday created specifically for a play on words, “May the Force (4th) be with you!” Star Wars Day is the perfect excuse to bring out the original trilogy.

May 5 – Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo is commonly mistaken for the celebration of Mexican independence (September 16), but in actuality, is the recognized holiday to acknowledge the day when the Mexican army defeated the French army at the Battle of Puebla. Cinco de Mayo has come to signify Hispanic and Mexican pride as well as a time to celebrate the rich heritage.

May 9 – National Teachers Day

May 9 is the day to celebrate the hardworking, patient and kind people who choose to be teachers. We don’t have to tell you the impact that teachers have on children from kindergarten through college.

May 12 – International Nurses Day

International Nurses Day happens on the last day of National Nurses Week and provides a day to recognize nurses for their commitment to quality healthcare. May 12 was selected as the official date because it’s the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birthday.

May 12 – Military Spouses Day

A day to recognize and honor the backbone of the armed forces, Military Spouses Day gives civilians an opportunity to say “thank you” for their sacrifice.

May 13 – Birth Mother’s Day

Birth Mother’s Day is a day to recognize the birth mothers of adopted children. Birth mothers create the holiday to educate, remember and cope.

May 14 – Mother’s Day

May 15 – Police Officer’s Memorial Day (An excellent time to thank your area police officers for a job well done.)

May 16 – Wear Purple for Peace Day

May 18 – International Museum Day

May 19 – National Bike to Work Day (Don’t forget to wear a helmet!)

May 20 – National Armed Forces Day

National Armed Forces Day is a day to celebrate all branches of the United States military, which protects our country and us. Up until 1949, each branch had their own day of celebration.

May 26 – Sally Ride Day

Sally Ride Day honors the first American woman who went into space. On June 18, 1983, Dr. Ride accomplished this challenge aboard STS-7, the second flight of the Space Shuttle “Challenger.” Celebrate her success by learning more about the United States space program.

May 27 – Sunscreen Protection Day

Summertime is almost here – you know what that means? We’ll be seeing our old friend, The Sun, more frequently than we have in recent months. Don’t forget to protect yourself and your loved ones from harmful UV rays with sunscreen on May 27 and every day! Read more about why you should make applying sunscreen part of your daily routine.

May 29 – Memorial Day

Memorial Day, not to be confused with Veteran’s Day, is celebrated on the last Monday of May and commemorates the men and women who lost their lives while serving in the military. Learn more about this important holiday.

As you can see, there’s a lot to celebrate next month! What holiday will you add to your calendar?

Happy May from Lions Pride!

Last Minute Tax Time Tips

14 Thursday Apr 2016

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Tax TimeThe countdown is on! We are only 96 hours away from the 2016 Personal Tax Deadline. Procrastinators can rejoice because the usual April 15th deadline has been pushed to Monday, April 18. You may be wondering why this year is different than past years, and the reason is due to a holiday usually only observed in Washington DC. Emancipation Day is a legal holiday that is celebrated on April 16, but since that falls on Saturday this year, the holiday will be observed on April 15.

Have you already taken care of your taxes? If so, good for you; if not, you are definitely not alone. Surprisingly, nearly 20% of all Americans wait until April to file their taxes. In fact, according to the IRS, the week of April 15 is typically the busiest week for tax filings.

If you still need to file, don’t stress, these tax tips can help make your job a little easier:

  • Avoid waiting any longer. E-file your return at irs.gov to submit your taxes for free.
  • If you cannot file online and plan on mailing your documents, be sure to pay special attention to collection pick-up times to ensure that it will be postmarked by April 18. It’s also a good idea to double-check that you have the right amount of postage.
  • If you don’t think you can complete your filings by the deadline, you have the opportunity to file for an automatic extension; however, be sure you understand these seven points before filing Form 4868.

Although many Americans file their taxes last minute year after year with no issues, there is no denying that that procrastination can cause unnecessary stress and increase the possibility of errors. Rather than waiting for next April, consider becoming more proactive to make the filing process easier on yourself next year.

  • Take your accountant out to lunch – If you aren’t in tune with all of the tax deductions and rules, you will likely have questions. With the 2015 Tax Season wrapping up, your accountant will have more time available to work with you. Now is the perfect time to find answers to your questions.
  • Create a charitable giving calendar – It’s easy to forget about charitable donations, especially when you’re in a time crunch. Rather than attending every fundraising event, create a plan that shows where you want to keep your contributions to go. You’ll also know exactly how much you are contributing and keep your giving in check.Did you know that Lions Pride offers an option for you to automate your contributions? Learn more about automated giving.
  • Review your withholdings – Now’s a great time to review the withholding amounts on your paychecks. For instance, if you overpaid this year, there’s no reason why you can’t adjust the values now and see a little more money every other week.

Read through more preparation tips for next year’s taxes.

Remember, the early bird catches the worm. Plan ahead now to save yourself time and frustration later on. Happy Tax Time from Lions Pride!

Disclaimer: The staff at Lions Pride are not tax experts. The tips listed above are merely from various sources from around the web. For any tax questions that you may have, please consult with your CPA or tax preparer.

 

Fun Facts About Leap Day

25 Thursday Feb 2016

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There are 365 days in a calendar year, but did you know that it actually takes the Earth Lion Leapingabout 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes and 45 seconds to rotate around the sun? To make up for the difference, every four years we are graced with an extra day called Leap Day, which is coming up this Monday.

You probably remember the number 365 ¼ from an elementary school science class, but bet you didn’t know all of the following fun facts about Leap Year (until now, of course):

  1. The chance of being born on February 29 is approximately 1 in 1,461.

    Those born on this special day are called “Leapers” or “Leaplings”, and typically celebrate their birthday on February 28 or March 1.

  1. In Leap Years, it is considered “acceptable” for women to propose to men.

    Of course, times have changed where there is nothing wrong for women to propose marriage; however, this was not always the case. Legend says that the tradition goes back to the 5th Century Ireland when St. Bridget was complaining to St. Patrick about women having to wait so long for men to propose. He agreed to let women have one day to propose, February 29.

  2. We add an additional day to the calendar, almost every 4 years.

    Julius Cesar first introduced the Leap Year in 46 BC. His only criterion was that the year must be divisible by 4. Unfortunately, this formula produced too many leap years, but wasn’t fixed until the creation of the Gregorian Calendar where two more criteria were added:

    If the year can be evenly divided by 100, it is not a leap year, unless; the year is also evenly divisible by 400 then it is a leap year.

    Many of us will never see a skipped Leap Year. The last skipped Leap Year was in 1900, and the next skipped Leap Year will be in the year 2100.Not all countries add an extra day.

  1. Rather than adding another day in February, the Chinese calendar adds an entire month every three years. Their last Leap Year was in 2015.

    In Ethiopia, the calendar consists of 13 months. The first 12 months have 30 days each and the last month has 5 days in the typical year, and 6 days in a Leap Year.

Remember, it’s not every day that we get an extra 24 hours to spend as we choose! How do you plan to spend your bonus day?

Happy Leap Day from Lions Pride!

Labor Day and the Portage County Fair

03 Thursday Sep 2015

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Rosholt FairIs it just us or does it seem like we blinked and all of a sudden it was September? We feel like we were just talking about Memorial Day, and now school is back in session and we are on the heels of Labor Day Weekend.

Although this weekend is unofficially known as the end of summer, we look forward to Labor Day because that means it’s time for the Portage County Fair that happens right here in Rosholt.

You might be surprised to learn that there is a long history associated with our fair. The planning began back in May 1921 when the Rosholt Advancement Association decided to host a picnic that would coincide with the Portage County Guernsey Breeders Association. The event was a success as became an official fair in 1922. The receipts of the first year totaled $228.76, and expenses were $226.46, leaving $2.30 for profits. The profit was a “decided success” and the event became known as the Rosholt Community Free Fair.

The fair takes place every year from Friday to Monday and is fun for the whole family. So many activities take place during the weekend including live music, a parade, hot air balloon rides, laser light show, mini tractor pulls, carnival rides, games and more. Of course, you’ll see award-winning animals from our local 4-H and FFA members. You can also learn about the town’s history in the Pioneer Museum. See the entire event calendar.

If you’re still looking for something to do for Labor Day Weekend, we encourage you to visit Rosholt and attend the 89th Annual Portage County Fair. You’re sure to find activities for the whole family.

The Lions Pride office will be closed on Monday, September 7, in observance of Labor Day. We wish you a safe, fun holiday!

New Year Traditions From Around the World

01 Thursday Jan 2015

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New Year CelebrationWow! Can you believe we officially have put another calendar year behind us? Welcome to 2015.

The New Year is a unique holiday because it is celebrated with equal enthusiasm all over the globe. While we may kiss at midnight (did you know it’s an encouraging gesture meant to keep cleanse everything that is evil?), there are several different traditions that take place on the last day of the year.

  • In Brazil, lentils are known to signify wealth and prosperity so they serve food items made of legumes such as soup and rice.
  • Every front door is painted red in China to exemplify happiness and good fortune.
  • People in Denmark collect old dishes during the year and throw them at friends’ doors during New Year to symbolize friendship and brotherhood. It’s believed that the one who has the most dishes outside has the most friends.
  • In the Netherlands, bonfires are built with Christmas trees on New Year’s Eve to say goodbye to the old and hello to the new.
  • In the Philippines, all round items are promising. They consume grapes, wear polka dots and carry coins to attract more fortune in the New Year.
  • Residents in Puerto Rico throw buckets out of water out their window and thoroughly clean their homes to clean the odds of the previous year, as well as rid the home of spirits.
  • In Spain, people eat 12 grapes at every new hour in the New Year. The custom is believed to bring good luck and happiness in the upcoming 12 months.

We’d like to thank all of our donors for another great year in 2014. We can’t wait to see what this year holds.

The Lions Pride office will be closed the remainder of the week. We wish you all a safe and enjoyable New Year!

Sources:

http://www.123newyear.com/newyear-traditions/

http://www.almanac.com/content/new-year-traditions-around-world