• Responsible Pet Ownership Month, May 2012
• Nursing Week, May 7 - 13, 2012
• International Day Against Homophobia/Transphobia, May 17, 2012
• Day of the Honey Bee, May 29, 2012
• Pride Week in Durham, June 4 to 10, 2012

• International Epidermolysis Bullosa Awareness Week, October 25 to 31, 2012

Responsible Pet Ownership Month, May 2012

The City of Pickering is participating in the Association of Animal Shelter Administrators of Ontario’s campaign to promote Responsible Pet Ownership.  Animal Services staff continue to devote their time, energy and resources to this united effort to bring attention to the importance of Responsible Pet Ownership.
 
The City of Pickering has joined animal care, control and welfare organizations from across Ontario to achieve the campaign’s goal.

The Animal Services Section provides community education and programs which reinforce responsible pet ownership through the humane care of pets, the return of lost pets and  pet adoption, and the control of pet overpopulation, a key goal of all animal service programs.

Learn how you can do your part to be a responsible pet owner.

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Nursing Week, May 7 - 13, 2012

The Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO) is the professional association representing registered nurses wherever they practise in Ontario. Since 1925, RNAO has advocated for healthy public policy, promoted excellence in nursing practice, increased nurses’ contribution to shaping the health-care system, and influenced decisions that affect nurses and the public they serve.
 
Nursing Week is an opportunity to celebrate the unique contributions of both the nursing profession and individual nurses. They represent the single largest group of health-care professionals in the City of Pickering. Thousands of them are employed in hospitals, nursing homes, community health centres, family health teams, and in the community at large. They are committed, dedicated, knowledgeable and compassionate.
 
Please help us by saying “thank you” to nurses.

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International Day Against Homophobia/Transphobia, May 17, 2012

PFLAG Canada Durham Region works with local and regional communities to combat homophobia and discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender expression or identity.

A privileged moment to set up initiatives to fight against homophobia, this day calls out to the public and workers in all communities as well as those actively involved in civil society. Legislators, governments, and municipal administrators are also invited to this large annual gathering of forces.

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Day of the Honey Bee,  May 29, 2012

Honey Bees are responsible for about a third of the food we eat because they are responsible for about 70 percent of our food crop pollination.  Honey Bees are an important keystone species and as such, they are the very cornerstone to the sustainability of our agriculture and stability of our environment. 
 
According to the Canadian Honey Council, “The value of honey bees to pollination of agriculture is estimated at over $2 billion annually.”  In 2010, The Canadian Association of Professional Apiarists (CAPA) suggested that Canada sustained a national honey bee overwintering mortality of 21 percent.  In 2011, the Canadian Honey Council indicated a national loss averaging 29.3 percent.  This amount of loss is greater than the 15 percent that is considered sustainable.  Honey Bees have been disappearing at percentages considered unsustainable for more than a decade.
 
Primary of all known solutions continues to be further education, awareness and proactive initiatives by all levels of government in Canada.  One of these proactive initiatives is the “Day of the Honey Bee” proclamations.  In seven provinces across Canada and with the support of over 70 municipal governments, May 29, 2010 was recognised as the first annual “Day of the Honey Bee”.  It was officially recognised in declaration by two provincial governments and recorded in the Legislative Assembly Hansard of a third.  Last year, there were 163 Municipal Governments all across Canada that issued Proclamations in support of Day of the Honey Bee; including the Governments of Saskatchewan, Manitoba and British Columbia. 
 
As a result of this amazing support, more people learned about the plight of Honey Bees.  All across Canada and abroad, dozens of events were held by beekeepers, apiarists, beekeeping associations, farmer’s markets, university groups and other individuals around May 29 to educate and inform the public. 

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Pride Week in Durham, June 4 to 10, 2012

Pride Durham Inc., a not-for-profit organization and the LGBTQ communities of Durham Region have coordinated an exciting Pride Festival for the week of June 4 –10, 2012 for the LGBTQ and ally communities to celebrate shared accomplishments, culture and forward movement in equality.

A privileged moment to set up initiatives to fight against homophobia, this week calls out to the public and workers in all communities as well as those actively involved in civil society.  Legislators, governments, and municipal administrators are also invited to this large annual gathering of forces.

For more information please visit www.pridedurham.com.

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International Epidermolysis Bullosa Awareness Week, October 25 to 31, 2012

Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) is a group of genetic disorders characterized by exceptionally fragile skin and chronic, painful wounds and blisters caused by the slightest trauma, even normal day-to-day activities. The disease affects people of both genders and every ethnicity. As many as 500,000 people worldwide suffer from some form of EB. It is often disabling and life-threatening, requiring daily wound care similar to that of severe burn patients. There is no cure, but there is something about the word “incurable” that is contrary to the indomitable nature of people living with EB.

In terms of awareness and knowledge, there is an unfortunate gap between what is and what should be. Changing this is vital to the future of EB research and universal patient support. The EB community is determined to lead a movement to fundamentally change its experiences and expectations – to speak with one voice in our relentless quest for effective treatments and a cure for all types of EB.

“International Epidermolysis Bullosa Awareness Week” strives to improve the quality of life for people with EB by increasing recognition of this genetic condition among the public, media, government, education and medical communities.