There are many interesting holidays and observances in June, such as Adopt-A-Cat, Fruit and Vegetable Month, Ice Tea Month and Tennis Month. However, the three most prominent are National Safety Month, Flag Day and Father’s Day.

National Safety Month is sponsored by The National Safety Council. It couples with various organizations to raise awareness and to educate the public on the top causes of injuries and deaths that could have been prevented. The 2013 theme is “Safety Starts with Me”. The idea behind the theme is for individuals to take responsibility for not only their safety, but the safety of others. Each week has a sub theme that sheds light on serious safety issues.

2013 Weekly Themes

• Week 1: Preventing Slips, Trips and Falls
• Week 2: Employee Wellness
• Week 3: Emergency Preparedness
• Week 4: Ergonomics

To learn more, visit http://www.nsc.org/nsc_events/Nat_Safe_Month/Pages/home.aspx

Flag Day in 2013 is June 14th. This holiday marks the day the US flag was adopted (June 14, 1777), and also coincides with the creation of the United States Army. The first flag’s design featured thirteen white stars against a blue background and thirteen red and white stripes. A star was added every time a state entered the union. The flag we all know and love today features fifty stars to represent each state.Americans honor Flag Day by displaying flags outside their homes and places of business. Visit http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/flag-day to find out more about Flag Day.

Father’s Day is June 16, 2013. The first Father’s Day was celebrated by the state of Washington on July 19, 1910. However, it did not become a federal holiday until 1972. The day is used to pay homage to fathers and father figures all over the world. In this day and age, this is a very important holiday because most children grow up in single family homes with only the mother present. Please make sure to thank the father and / or father figures in your life.

~ Shannon