May 28, 2014

Today we celebrate:

Amnesty International Day – Amnesty International was founded in 1961 after an article was published on this day in 1961 by the The Observer entitled “The Forgotten Prisoners” by Peter Benenson. Amnesty's goal is to bring attention to the many cases of human rights abuse in the world and to bring pressure to governments whenever and wherever they can to try to get those abuses to end. The organization was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in 1977 for its “campaign against torture,” as well as the United Nations Prize in the Field of Human Rights in 1978.

Sierra Club Day – Founded on this day in 1892, with John Muir as its' first President and a membership of 182 charter members, this club has worked tirelessly to, as John Muir said, “do something for wildness and make the mountains glad.” This club now has more than a million members and is the oldest environmental organization in the U.S. http://www.sierraclub.org/history/origins/

World MS Day – Multiple Sclerosis is a neurological disorder that affects approximately 2 million people worldwide. It usually shows up in young adults so most people are diagnosed between the ages of 25 and 31. More women than men are affected. There is no cure and no one knows what causes it. The type and severity of the symptoms vary widely from person to person but can include weakness of limbs, dizziness, fatigue, tingling sensations, and vision disruptions among many others. Sometimes patients can be in remission and be symptom free for days to even years and then it will relapse. Others never get a period of remission. Some can live a reasonably healthy life for many years and others become severely debilitated very quickly and do not live long at all. There is no predicting the course of the disease in anyone. Find out more here: http://www.msif.org/

National Senior Health & Fitness Day – This day has been celebrated every year since 1993 with a goal of keeping older Americans healthy and fit. It is always celebrated on the last Wednesday in May and you will find events happening all over the world. The theme for this year is: “Make a Move Toward Better Health!”

To celebrate today, stay fit and keep moving by going to the nearest wilderness for a hike in John Muir’s honor after you gather some sponsors who will donate to the MSIF for each mile you hike.  Then rest your tired feet while you research online to find out what Amnesty International is up to and what you can do to help them.