Category: Community

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A national “teach-in” put a spotlight on environmental issues

EARTH DAY 1970

A national “teach-in” put a spotlight on environmental issues

“Go green, be environmentally conscious, think eco-friendly.” These catch phrases are now firmly established in the popular lexicon. So it may seem strange that at one time most Americans were largely unaware of the need to clean up the planet and preserve its precious resources.

Flash back to the end of the tumultuous 60s with massive civil disobedience protests against the Vietnam War, and in support of civil rights. Urban sprawl and pollution are starting to make people think twice about the cost of “progress.”

Enter U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin. A large oil spill in 1969 motivated him to make Americans more aware of the importance of environmental issues so that legislation will become a political action priority.

 

Senator Nelson chooses Harvard University graduate student Denis Hayes and a small army of college volunteers to coordinate the activities of “a national teach-in on the environment.” Thousands of communities and schools across America took part. So, on April 22, 1970, Earth Day is celebrated by an estimated 20 million people. It’s a huge, unprecedented, and historic U.S. event.

Lesser known is the fact that nearly simultaneously an international version of Earth Day was conceived by San Francisco newspaper publisher and peace activist John McConnell and actually celebrated first — a mere month prior to Gaylord Nelson’s national Earth Day.

McConnell first proposed the idea of a global holiday to honor Earth and Peace in October 1969 at a UNESCO Conference, followed by a San Francisco Earth Day proclamation and worldwide celebration on March 21, 1970. The United Nations continues to mark Earth Day on that day every year by ringing its Peace Bell at U.N. headquarters in New York City.

An enduring legacy of Nelson’s Earth Day was the subsequent passage of the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Safe Water Drinking Act, and the Endangered Species Act, among other laws. Only three years later, the Environmental Protection Agency was established to protect the environmental health of all Americans.

“Groups that had been fighting against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, freeways, the loss of wilderness, and the extinction of wildlife suddenly realized they shared common values,” states The Earth Day Network.

Flash forward to Earth Day last year when 175 countries came together and signed the historic Paris Climate Agreement to cut carbon emissions to address the disastrous consequences of climate change to all species inhabiting our planet.

Global warming will be the overarching issue as the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day in 2020 approaches. Meanwhile, it serves as an annual reminder that each person can do his or her part, in their own communities to keep the environment healthy for all.

 

 

 

 

 

Please put in a box or something fancy

IF YOU GO

 

EARTH DAY 2017 ACTIVITIES

 

Coral Springs

What: EarthFest

When: April 22, 9am to 1pm

Where: Sawgrass Nature Center. 3000 Sportsplex Drive, Coral Springs

Features: Wildlife exhibits, guided tours, plant giveaways for Coral Springs residents, and children’s activities.

Parking: Dr. Paul’s Dog Park and Sawgrass Springs Middle School.
Information: Visit CoralSprings.org, or call Casey Lee, Coral Springs Environmental Coordinator, at 954-344-1117.

 

Parkland

What: Parkland’s Farmers Market Earth Day and Arbor Day activities

When: April 23, 9am to 1pm

Where: 8350 Ranch Road, Parkland

Activities: Annual Releaf Tree Giveaway (for Parkland residents only). Informational displays on environmental subjects, as well as earth stewardship representatives on hand to speak about native plants in the home and city landscape, national wildlife certification, and more. The Farmer’s Market is dog-friendly.

Information: Visit Cityofparkland.org, or contact Suzanne Newman, Parkland Environmental Coordinator, at 954-757-4115.

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Celebrating 50 years at the zoo where the people are in cages

It’s just past 10am and the residents are hungry. Wildebeests, tapirs, and ostriches gather at flat concrete slabs immediately adjacent to the roadway, to scarf up the feed that the workers have spread out for them. They wander at will throughout their respective areas of the park, uncaged—although the lions remain securely behind a fence. Apparently 10am isn’t their feeding time. They stretch out in the sunshine, napping like overgrown housecats.

It is the visitors who are caged. Lion Country Safari, an attraction in Loxahatchee, Palm Beach County, strictly requires visitors to remain in their cars with the doors and windows closed.

This doesn’t deter some of the animals from trying to get up close and personal with the visitors, but it does keep them safely on the other side of the window glass. As we drove through the animal park on a recent morning, we came up behind another car stopped on the roadway. An ostrich was standing immediately adjacent to the car’s passenger-side window, rippling its neck up and down, back and forth against the window glass.

Besides the obvious appeal of being able to see the animals wandering uncaged throughout the park, there are practical advantages to the set-up, too. If you’ve ever tried to walk a small child through a conventional zoo, you know the dangers of his or her wandering away from you, as well as the probability that at some point he’ll complain that his legs are tired. Driving through this zoo rather than walking through it is also a boon for people like me with mobility issues.

Lion Country Safari is divided into separate sections, with names such as Serengeti Plains, Kalahari Bushveldt, and Las Pampas. Some of the animals’ names are equally exotic: kulan, nyala, greater kudu, and Nile lechwe to name a few. But you’ll also encounter familiar “old friends” such as giraffes, zebras, chimps, impalas, and llamas.

When you’ve finished circling through all the sections of the park, you have the option of going around again, leaving, or—if you’re looking for a chance to stretch your legs—there are lots more things to do in an area where you are encouraged to park and exit your car. You can follow the advice of the song from Mary Poppins and “feed the birds.” You can ride the carousel. There is a petting zoo. Enjoy the Safari Splash Waterplay Area and the water slide. And that’s still not all. Hungry? There’s a restaurant and two snack shops. And what would a park-type attraction be without a gift shop? There are also animal shows and talks at scheduled times.

Although pets are not allowed to ride through the park, the park does provide free comfortable kennels for them if you’ve mistakenly brought your furry family member with you. From June through August, the park offers one-week daycamp sessions. There is a KOA campground. They also host birthday parties and they offer annual passes.

Paddy, a 17-year-old White Rhino, who was born on St. Patrick’s Day, at World Rhino Day at Lion Country Safari in Loxahatchee, Fla., Sunday, Sept. 22, 2013. World Rhino Day celebrates all five species of rhino: Black, white, greater one-horned, Sumatran and Javan rhinos and to bring attention to the plight of this iconic species. (Gary Coronado/The Palm Beach Post)

It’s a winner of an experience for all ages. For more information, call 561-793-1084 or visit LionCountrySafari.com.

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The History of Passover

Passover, Pesach in Hebrew, is one of the most important holidays in Judaism. Observed annually by Jewish people around the world, Passover is the first of the spring holidays and occurs during Nisan, the first month of the Hebrew lunar calendar.

Passover: A Celebration of Freedom and Renewal

The week-long holiday begins with a Seder, which means order. There are important rules and customs to observe before, during, and after the holiday meal.

At Seder, everyone gathers around the table and the Passover story is recited.
Participants read the Haggadah, the oldest liturgical text documenting the Israelites exodus from Egypt. Some families choose to make their own haggadot; others read from the original text. The story begins with the Israelites, who were made slaves by a cruel Pharaoh for more than 200 years in Egypt.

After much suffering, the Israelites enter into a sacred covenant with God: God promises to protect the Israelites in exchange for their devotion. God responds to Pharaoh’s mistreatment of the Israelites by casting “Ten Plagues” upon the land.

The Ten Plagues is a series of catastrophic events that include turning water into blood, sending swarms of locusts, and condemning to death all first-born sons. God instructs the Israelites to mark their homes with the blood of a lamb so the “angel of death” will “pass over” them and spare their first-born sons.

Pharaoh is finally convinced of God’s divine power and agrees to set the Israelites free. God appoints Moses to lead his people out of Egypt. At the Seder, celebratory songs accompany the story of the Exodus while adding to the holiday spirit.

Passover: The “Festival of Matzot”

Passover is also a time when Jewish people appreciate their history and celebrate their freedom. Every Seder starts with the words: “All who are hungry, let them come and eat.”

Foods eaten at the Passover meal are reminiscent of the suffering the Israelites endured. Matzot, known as the bread of affliction, is the most symbolic of these foods. Because the Israelites had to flee quickly from Egypt, they did not have time to bake their bread. This unleavened bread became what we now know as matzo.

Along with matzo, symbolic foods at the Seder table include: a roasted shank bone for the sacrificial lamb, a roasted egg, haroset: a mixture of fruit and nuts reminiscent of the bricks made by enslaved Israelites, green vegetables for springtime, bitter herbs to signify the harsh treatment of the Israelites, and salt water symbolic of their tears.

At the Seder, a favorite tradition involves hiding a special piece of matzo known as the Afikomen. After the meal, all young children search for the Afikomen. Those who find it receive a prize.

At the end of the Seder, a final cup of wine is offered and a door is opened for Elijah the Prophet. The hope is that Elijah, a miracle worker, will bring peace for the year ahead.

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Where Do Our Tax Dollars Go?

April 15th… that dreaded date is rapidly approaching. As we scramble to pay “our fair share,” one question seems to get lost in the shuffle: What did I just pay for? Well, a lot of things. Some of which are going to surprise you. Perhaps you thought you were paying thousands for assistance to countries whose citizens seem to like to stomp around and burn our flag? No … it’s about $40 a year. Keep in mind now that if interest rates rise so will interest on the debt—and that could get nasty. Then again, if a major war breaks out, we’re all going to have to ante up.

 

 

The average household paid about $13,000 in income taxes to Uncle Sam for 2015. (We haven’t paid for 2016 yet remember.) Of that $13,000, the federal government spent:

$3,728.92 (28.7 percent) on health programs

$3,299.13 (25.4 percent) on the military

$1,776.06 (3.7 percent) on interest on the debt

$1,040.93 (8 percent) on unemployment compensation and labor programs

$771.26 (5 percent) on veterans’ benefits

$598.74 (4.6 percent) on food and agriculture programs

$461.59 (3.6 percent) on education programs

$377.50 (2.9 percent) on general government expenses

$250.03 (1.9 percent) on housing and community programs

$207.68 (1.6 percent) on energy and environmental programs

$194.29 (1.5 percent) on international affairs programs

$150.68 (1.2 percent) on transportation funding

$143.20 (1.1 percent) on scientific funding

Next question….Who’s actually paying most of the taxes? Do the wealthy pay less taxes than the middle class and the poor?

The study, from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, found that “virtually every state’s tax system is fundamentally unfair, taking a much greater share of income from low- and middle-income families than from wealthy families.” The report added that state and local tax systems are “indirectly contributing to growing income inequality by taxing low- and middle-income households at significantly higher rates than wealthy taxpayers.” In other words, it said that the tax systems are “upside down,” with the poor paying more and the rich paying less. Overall, the poorest 20 percent of Americans paid an average of 10.9 percent of their income in state and local taxes and the middle 20 percent of Americans paid 9.4 percent. The top one percent, meanwhile, pay only 5.4 percent of their income to state and local taxes.

But numbers like these can be misleading, and there are two sides to every coin. Drawing a far different conclusion, the more conservative Tax Policy Center has concluded that the “top one percent of Americans paid 33.4 percent of their expanded cash income (a broad measure of pretax income) in federal taxes. Middle class Americans—or those in the middle 20 percent —pay 13.7 percent of their income to federal taxes, while the poorest pay 3.1 percent.

Up to now, it doesn’t appear that any study has looked at the combined federal, state, and local tax burdens as a share of certain income groups. But Roberton Williams of the Tax Policy Center said that combining all taxes would almost certainly show that the wealthy pay more than the rest.

In other words, we’re probably not going to be able to give you a final answer on that one any time soon. So I guess, as Einstein would have said, “Everything is relative”…even taxes.

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Public Speaking: 12 Myths Debunked

 When was the last time you had to deliver a speech? Were you nervous? The anxiety one goes through before giving a speech can be overwhelming. People often grasp at suggestions they have heard to deal with their anxiety, but these suggestions don’t always make sense. In this article, I’m going to explore some of these myths and how they can actually harm your speech.

 

  1. Imagine the audience naked or in their underwear.

This can actually be more distracting to you than helpful. If you are focusing on what clothes audience members are or are not wearing, you can’t be focusing on the message nor how the audience is or isn’t connecting with it.

 

  1. You are born with a public speaking talent – you cannot learn it.

It is remarkable how many people believe that speakers are born with a special talent. Public speaking is a skill that is developed through focus and effort.

 

  1. Avoid eye contact – focus at a point above the audience’s heads.

This is some of the worst advice I have ever heard. If you want your message to connect with the audience – look at your audience.

 

  1. Begin with a joke.

Careful, careful, careful. Jokes often offend. Never include jokes that don’t connect to your message. Poking fun at yourself can sometimes be okay, but leave the jokes-for-jokes sake out.

 

  1. Too much rehearsal is bad for me – I’m better just speaking off the cuff.

Practice, practice, practice. There is never any substitute for being well-prepared. I have never seen an instance where too much rehearsal ruined a speech. By rehearsal, I don’t mean memorization. Practice so you can speak with ease the points of your speech, referring to your cards and visuals.

 

  1. My experience trumps credible sources.

Good research reflects positively on you, no matter how much of an expert you are in the field. When you provide support for your ideas it adds credibility to your message. Quotes from famous people add value. Speakers who lack experience tend to overvalue their ideas and fail to support their ideas.

 

  1. Memorize your speech.

Memorization often causes people to disconnect with the audience. For experienced speakers, it becomes too rehearsed, too perfect…a performance. For inexperienced speakers, it can make the speaker look a bit crazy as if they were listening to the voices in their head, and not connecting with the audience. It’s OK to use cue cards and visuals in most situations.

 

  1. Hide behind a podium.

You cannot fully connect with an audience if you hide behind a podium. Step out from behind the podium, roll up your sleeves and get real with the audience. There are times when etiquette calls for a more formal presentation, but don’t use the podium as a crutch – it might not always be available.

 

  1. Shut off the lights to show a PowerPoint Presentation.

Visual presentations are there to support you, not take center stage. Don’t allow yourself to hide in the dark; you will lose way too much of your ability to connect with the audience.

 

  1. A mistake will destroy the speech.

Only if you let it. So often, the audience doesn’t even realize a mistake was made. Fix it, if necessary, and then move on. Your mistake will only make you seem more human and the audience may even relate to you better. Don’t ever start over.

 

  1. Being a good public speaker involves eliminating nervousness.

Your anxiety is a source of energy. Learn how to channel it to connect with your audience. Use it to empower your words, make your message vibrant, exciting. Audiences appreciate someone who put forth the effort.

  1. Skip the speech — go straight for the Q & A.

Many speaking situations call for a question and answer session. Always create a well-constructed message for your audience first, they deserve quality content.

 

The next time you have to give a speech, don’t fall prey to these myths.

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2017 11th annual Boca Raton Concours d’Elegance

The annual Boca Raton Concours d’Elegance presented by Mercedes-Benz and AutoNation has raised nearly $10 million to date for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County. Hosted for the 11th consecutive year at the Boca Raton Resort & Club, the event took place February 10-12 and attracted more than 7,000 attendees for a weekend of philanthropy, comedy, and a stellar automobile and motorcycle display to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County.

Founded by Rita and Rick Case of Rick Case Automotive Group and under the direction of Founding Chairman James E. McDonnell IV, and Honorary Chair Mike Jackson, the Boca Raton Concours grows each year, bringing together new supporters, introducing new event components and showcasing the best in exotic and classic automobiles and motorcycles. This year’s Concours celebrated Auburn, Cord and Duesenberg as the Marques of the Year and featured an auction by The Finest Automobile Auctions.

Friday kicked off the weekend of events with the duPont Registry Live Hangar Party presented by Ulysse Nardin at the Boca Raton Airport. Guests experienced gourmet tastings from South Florida’s finest restaurants. Guests also perused a selection of exotic cars, motorcycles, extravagant boats, private jets, and premier vendors. During the event, Rita Case displayed her HondaJet; she is the first woman in the world to be certified to fly a HondaJet.

Saturday evening featured the Gala Dinner & Show presented by the Dade-Broward Hyundai and Genesis Dealers and emceed by Jeff Lennox and Vivian Gonzalez from WSVN-7 News, beginning with a cocktail reception and silent auction followed by a dinner and show featuring comedian Jeff Foxworthy as the headlining performer. The dinner began with the presentation of the coveted Automotive Lifetime Achievement Awards presented to Marc Cannon, Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President of Communications & Public Policy for AutoNation, and Dave Zuchowski, previous CEO to Hyundai.

Sunday concluded the weekend’s festivities with the Concours d’ Elegance Automobile & Motorcycle Exhibition presented by the Rick Case Automotive Group, spanning all eras on the Boca Raton Resort & Club showfield. Guests from around the world experienced an automotive showcase featuring vehicles and motorcycles from an array of time periods. Expert panel of judges includes Chief Judge Dr. Paul Sable, Honorary Marque Judges Laura Brinkman, Executive Director/CEO of the Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg Automobile Museum, and Mark Tomei, Vice-President of the Auburn, Cord, Duesenberg Club.

The awards ceremony highlighted each winner as they drove to the judge’s booth to receive their trophy. Winning entrants received their awards during a special presentation emceed by DuPont and Rothermel. Best in Show Automobile was awarded to Barbara and Al Mason’s 1928 Auburn 8-115 Speedster and Best in Show Motorcycle was awarded to Leo Schigiel’s, 1956 Ariel Square 4 with Garrard sidecar.

The 11th annual Boca Raton Concours d’Elegance was made possible with the support of its sponsors: Mercedes-Benz, AutoNation, Rick Case Automotive Group, the Dade-Broward Hyundai and Genesis Dealers, Honda Aircraft Company and HondaJet, Coral Springs Auto Mall, Lamborghini Palm Beach, Hagerty Insurance Company, Ulysse Nardin, Boca Raton Resort & Club, Comcast Spotlight, DuPont Registry, Ferrari- Maserati of Fort Lauderdale, JM Family Enterprises, Inc. Bentley Palm Beach, Rolls-Royce Motorcars Fort Lauderdale, Aston Martin Fort Lauderdale, Ed Morse Automotive Group, Robb Report, Zucker Lewis Media Group, THINK Magazine, Sun Sentinel, City & Shore Magazine, FOX/WSVN, ABC/WPLG, NBC/WTVJ, CBS/WFOR, Univision, Telemundo, Car Show Television, Entercom South Florida, Windmill Advertising Group, Pinnacle Advertising and Marketing Group, Vision Media Inc., Comerica Bank, Passport Transport, Impala Asset Management, Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, and others.

 

Plans are already underway for the 12th annual Boca Raton Concours d’ Elegance at the Boca Raton Resort & Club, scheduled for February 9-11, 2018. Visit www.bocaCDE.com for updates.

 

PHOTO CUTLINES:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo1: Dave Zuchowski, former Hyundai CEO, and Trina Zuchowski

 

 

 

 

 

Photo3: Boys & Girls Club of Broward County Kids with Brian Quail, President/CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County

 

 

 

 

Photo9: Best in Show Automobile was awarded to Barbara and Al Mason’s 1928 Auburn 8-115 Speedster by Brian Quail, President/CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County; Founding Chairman, James E. McDonnell, IV; and Boca Raton Concours d’ Elegance Founders Rita and Rick Case.

 

 

 

 

Photo10: Bill Rothermel, Brian Quail, President/CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County; Founding Chairman, James E. McDonnell, IV; and Boca Raton Concours d’Elegance Founders Rita & Rick Case; and Tom duPont.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo14: Brian Quail, President/CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County presenting the Automotive Lifetime Achievement Award to Marc Cannon, Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President of Communications and Public Policy for AutoNation, and Mike Jackson, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer.

 

BESTOFSHOW: Best of Show Motorcycle, 1956 Ariel Square 4 with Garrard Sidecar, Lisa and Leo Schigiel

 

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Toothanasia

I recently went to a dental lecture where the Veterinary Dentist referred to a dog with a complete mouth of diseased teeth that needed to be removed as “toothanasia.” On the ride home from the lecture, my wife asked me if I have ever had to do that and I told her about Princess the Maltese.

Princess was not a princess. She was one of the only Maltese that I have ever had to muzzle so an oral exam was not going to happen and dental home care was also out of the picture. One day the owner brought in a video of Princess eating. She would go over to the food bowl and pick out a piece of kibble and chew it then spit it out. Then she would pick it up with the other side of the mouth and chew some more and then eventually swallow it. The time to finish the entire meal took her hours and she would frequently walk away without finishing. When the owner gave her a soft meal or canned food she would swallow it whole. I told them that it sounds like she is having dental pain and unfortunately I have to recommend a dental procedure without actually being able to look at the teeth. They were concerned about how many teeth would need to be extracted but were excited that the breath would be better and she would not be in pain anymore.

The owners were nervous about Princess and I told them if they wanted to stay for the induction of anesthesia and actually see her teeth before I x-rayed them then that would be fine. Her pre-surgical bloodwork was fine and I placed an IV catheter and gave her the sedative. From there we put in the endotracheal tube and was able to see a mouth of green and black teeth. The closer we looked the more the smell of the mouth hit us. We keep a jar of Vicks vapor rub that we can put a dab under our nostrils if the smell is that bad and for Princess it was. I decided to bring Mom and Dad in to see. I showed them that 85 percent of the teeth were actually loose in the mouth. When I took my probe to the molars her jaw would tremble. Under anesthesia, she should not be feeling any discomfort but a metal probe to the tooth root is uncomfortable. I let them stay in the other room while I took the x-rays and every tooth except the four canines was either abscessed or did not have enough bone coverage to make the tooth sturdy and solid.

Mom was upset and dad was concerned that if we took out all of the teeth minus the four canines how she would eat. I reminded them that the reason we got to this point is that they brought in a video showing that Princess could not eat pain-free and at home dental brushings were not possible. Not that the whole episode needed more drama, but when I was probing one of the premolars with my dental probe the tooth actually fell out. Mom looked at me and was mortified. She wanted to see the tooth and when she brought it close to her face the smell hit her. She was wondering why Vicks was on the table and now understood. So we all agreed based on x-ray we were going to perform the necessary extractions.

The surgery went well and Princess was sent home with a week of antibiotics, pain medications, and recommendations of soft food. I asked to see her a week later and mom said that she couldn’t make it, but she was doing well with the soft food. I eventually examined her one month later and could not believe the change. She was eating her hard food again. The owners were totally fine with the canned food but caught her eating a dog biscuit and enjoying it. They gave her the hard kibble and seemed to gum it and be more satisfied with eating it compared to the canned food. They put her on my examination table and without hesitation opened her mouth for me to see and it looked great. No teeth but for the first time I was able to look at her mouth without a muzzle. I felt a little lucky so I approached Princess to look a little closer and the growling started. I had to remember that Princess was no princess.

Glenn Kalick, DVM is a veterinarian at Brookside Animal Hospital. Visit Brooksidevet.com.

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Irish-at-heart: Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day

On March 17, across the United States, about 122 million Americans will celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. That is 39 percent of the American population. Staggering as that may seem, 35 million people living in the United States claim Irish Ancestry. That’s seven times the population of Ireland. Add on to those figures the countless Irish-at-heart, kiss-me-I’m-Irish wannabes, and you’re sure to find yourself smack in the middle of a moving sea of green somewhere near your hometown. The largest and oldest parade of all time is none other than the Annual New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade. You can expect between 150,000 and 250,000 participants to march up Fifth Avenue from 44th Street to 86th Street, while two million spectators line the streets. Now that’s a lot of smiling Irish eyes.

Yet while we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, and wherever we celebrate it, I have to admit that I did not know much about the Patron Saint and National Apostle of Ireland that is being honored. St. Patrick was not born in Ireland but was born in Britain during the fifth century. Kidnapped and brought to Ireland as a slave at the age of 16, St. Patrick was able to escape after six years. Returning later to Ireland as a Christian Missionary, St. Patrick was credited with bringing Christianity to the Irish and consecrating more than 350 Bishops. In the centuries following his death, which is believed to be on March 17, 1461, St. Patrick’s religious impact on Ireland and its people grew throughout the world. In fact, St. Patrick used the shamrock, or three-leaf clover, as a religious symbol. The story behind this little green plant is steeped in heritage and Irish national pride. St. Patrick used the three leaves of the shamrock to explain the holy trinity.

A deeper look into Ireland’s history of famine, disease, and political unrest reminds us that the Irish were anything but lucky. But “the luck of the Irish” evolved when the Irish remained hopeful and began creating their own luck and opportunities through their positive attitudes, work ethic, and perseverance through some of the most difficult times. As Lady Liberty became the new symbol of freedom to the 4.5 million Irish immigrants arriving at Ellis Island between 1820 and 1930, Irish traditions, customs, and beliefs kept Ireland alive in each of them. Far from their loved ones, heartwarming traditions and religious feasts honoring their Patron Saint of Ireland blossomed into international festivals celebrating Irish culture. With parades, Irish step dancing, corned beef and cabbage, Irish soda bread, music, bagpipes, and a whole lot of green, St. Patrick’s Day became ubiquitous with being Irish no matter what ones heritage is.

In modern-day Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day was traditionally a religious occasion. In fact, up until the 1970s, Irish laws mandated that pubs be closed on March 17. Then in 1995, the Irish government began to showcase Ireland and Irish culture to the rest of the world. Today, about one million people annually take part in Ireland’s St. Patrick’s Festival in Dublin, a multi-day celebration featuring parades, concerts, outdoor theater productions, and fireworks shows.

People of all backgrounds celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in many countries far from Ireland. North America is home to the largest productions. Annually Americans exchange about eight million St. Patrick’s Day greeting cards, 83 percent will wear green, 40 pounds of green dye is used to turn the Chicago River green, 100 percent of those celebrating St. Patrick’s Day will be considered Irish. If you choose to skip the festivities this year, you may just find yourself green with envy.

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WWI, disease, and the Y Girls

When WWI soldiers landed in France to prepare for war, they were ready to fight for their lives against the Germans. They never expected to be devastated by another enemy – one without bullets or bayonets. To everyone’s surprise, a disease called Spanish influence swept mercilessly through military camps. The cramped quarters in military barracks, along with trench warfare, contributed to the rapid spread of the disease. Lack of sophisticated antibiotics left victims entirely vulnerable to the ravages of the disease, which killed at least 43,000 servicemen, according to military records.

The spread of the disease also created a new role for what were called the “Y Girls,” women who became associated with the YMCA and went to the war zone to help support our troops in various ways.

As servicemen lay dying of influenza, the “Y Girls” took on a new role: helping the dying write letters home to loved ones. The men fully grasped the rapid progression of the incurable disease and felt an urgency to carefully compose their thoughts and final words, which, they hoped, would provide some comfort to those they were leaving behind. Some required help with their letters because of their weakened conditions. Others needed support accepting their fate and simply saying goodbye.

One of the Thousand Y.M.C.A. Girls in France/ United War Work Campaign/ Nov. 11th to 18th Neysa McMein (American, 1888–1949) Printer: Grinnell Lithographic Company, Inc. (American, active 19th–21st centuries) 1918 Poster, color lithograph *Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Gift of John T. Spaulding *Photograph © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

It happens that my grandmother, Faith Hinckley, was among the first seven women to accept that assignment overseas where she held the hands of the dying.

I was fortunate that she lived long enough to tell me her experiences. She told of one young soldier who asked only that she hold his hand tightly until the end. She told him she’d write a letter for him, if he had the strength to dictate. He replied that he had nobody. His parents were dead and he was an only child. He could not think of a single relative who would remember him well enough or expect a letter regarding his wartime activities.

My grandmother then told him he could write to her mother, who has two children at war, and fears she may not see them again. “Let’s tell her how proud we are to serve our country,” she said. “We’ll tell her your name, where you’re from, and what your life was like before military service. “

The frightened soldier dictated two pages describing his dreams, his accomplishments, his fears, and then finally, his overwhelming gratitude that he would not die alone on foreign soil. He asked his new “borrowed mother” to pray for him and her own two children at war. He gave her his whole name and asked that she remember him kindly and be proud of his own personal sacrifice.

My grandmother posted that letter along with scores of others composed that same day. She said the soldier slipped away peacefully shortly after asking for her mother’s name again and where she lived. My grandmother said she believed he was “envisioning back home” as he took his last breath.

My grandmother had made out her own will before leaving for the war, and after holding the hand of that dying soldier she wonder what she might say in her own letter home when her time came. She hoped she could say “somebody was holding very tightly to her hand till the very end.”

In June we’ll recognize the start of American engagement in WWI. Although my grandmother died years ago, she lives within my heart, and I think of her more when I’m reminded of U.S. engagement in the Great War. As a “Y Girl” she exposed herself to great danger while she sat with dying troops during an epidemic of a savage disease. My family history doesn’t tell me who was with her when she died, but I hope someone was holding tightly to her hand. She deserved it.

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Celebration Clouded in Mystery

Valentine’s Day is usually associated with roses, the color red, chocolate, cards, heart shapes, and their associated symbol – love.

 

But little verifiable facts are known about the history behind Valentine’s Day and its namesake. “Somewhere along the way, Valentine’s Day came to represent romance,” according to americaslibrary.gov.

 

“Saint Valentine” started the celebration of love that falls every February. Valentine, however, might refer to more than one person. According to history.com, the Catholic Church recognizes no less than three saints named Valentine. Church officials martyred each of them.

 

 

One legend suggests Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. At that time, Emperor Claudius II decided that single men were better soldiers than those married and with families.  Therefore, Claudius forbade marriage for young men. Valentine refused to obey Claudius’ decree; he continued performing marriages in secret, but was caught. Claudius sentenced Valentine to death.

 

Others suggest that Valentine was killed for trying to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons, where authorities beat and tortured them. “According to history.com an imprisoned Valentine actually sent the first ‘valentine’ greeting himself after he fell in love with a young girl – possibly his jailor’s daughter – who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter signed “From your Valentine.”

 

Legends may differ, but the stories share at least one commonality: they stress Valentine’s appeal as a sympathetic, heroic and most importantly romantic figure. According to history.com “By the Middle Ages, Valentine would become one of the most popular saints in England and France.”

 

Why is love in the air in February, as opposed to the other 11 months? It depends who you ask. Some maintain Valentine’s Day falls in mid-February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine’s death or burial, which likely took place about the year 270 A.D. Others believe the celebration falls in the middle of February to “Christianize” the pagan celebration of Lupercalia. This was a fertility festival to honor Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture. The festival was also dedicated to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.

 

During the beginning of Christianity’s rise, Lupercalia continued, but was deemed “un-Christian” by the end of the fifth century. That is when Pope Gelasius declared February 14 Valentine’s Day. But the celebration wouldn’t become synonymous with love until the Middle Ages. During that time period, the French and English generally believed February 14 was the start of birds’ mating season. This reinforced the idea that the day should be set aside for romance.

It wasn’t until after 1400 that written Valentines began to appear. The oldest known valentine still exists in the form of a poem penned in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orléans. The letter was intended for his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London after his capture at a battle. Americans likely started exchanging hand-made valentines during the early 1700s.

 

During the 1840s, Esther A. Howland began selling the first mass-produced valentines in America. She became known as the “Mother of the Valentine” and made “elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as ‘scrap.”

 

According to the Greeting Card Association, Americans send roughly one billion Valentine’s Day cards each year. That makes the celebration the second largest card-sending holiday of the year behind only Christmas, when about 2.6 billion cards are sent.

 

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