May 2008 Calendar Resources

All Night Parties

The two most frightening times of the school year for principals and staff are prom and graduation. In an effort to provide a tragedy-free prom and graduation season, schools, parents and communities across the country are joining forces to provide alcohol and drug-free "All Night Parties" for their students as a safe alternative to the usual drinking and driving from party to party that takes place.

Many students feel that after prom and graduation their celebrations must include alcohol – that they’re a rite of passage. Some parents even condone these celebrations, rationalizing that since young people are "going to drink anyway," why not provide them a place, take their keys and let them party?

Young people attend parties throughout the year, but peer pressure is highest on these two occasions, when energy and excitement run high and students feel invincible. The "All Nighter" is a chance to give our young people a wonderful memory, keep them alive, build a tradition and provide them a stress-free alternative. They don’t have to make a decision to drink or not to drink: there is no choice – and no chance to lose face. And everyone has a party to attend and celebrate together. No one is left out. In the case of a senior prom or graduation celebration, it will be the last time they will be together as a class. What is important for parents is that they will know where their students are, what they are doing and that they are safe while having the time of their lives. Parents can actually go to bed and get a good night’s sleep. If your school and community already hosts an all night prom or graduation party, congratulations! If not, it’s never too late to start.

  • Develop a Theme
    Tie all of your decorations and activities into your theme. Some ideas for themes can be found on the following pages. Make sure you have activities planned for every minute. Just when you think everyone is tired and/or getting bored, get everyone moving again with a limbo contest or a game of giant Twister.
  • Make it Special
    Remember that you are competing with what some kids consider a night of drinking without a chaperone. In order to convince teens to come, you have to offer activities that they won’t find elsewhere.
  • Plan the Event
    Check out different locations to hold your event. Try a local health club where you can use the pool, tennis courts and other facilities. You can also lavishly decorate your school to match your theme. Plan the event in advance – planning and preparation take time.
  • Plan Something for Everyone
    Plan a large range of activities so that there will be something for everyone – for example, sports activities, karaoke, group games such as a limbo contest, Twister, board games, movies, etc. A description of different activities can be found in this newsletter.
  • Share Your Concerns
    Make the evening fun and exciting but don’t forget to mention why an alcohol and drug-free party is important.
  • Plan a Parents’ Night
    Invite the parents to come in before the event. Explain the reasons for having an all night alcohol and drug-free party and discuss the facts and dangers of alcohol, ecstasy and other drugs. Consider inviting your police chief and local lawyer to explain the laws and liability surrounding underage drinking.
  • Involve the Community
    This event provides an opportunity to build strong community support and raise everyone’s awareness concerning high risk issues for young people. You can invite your community to partner in this project by donating time, food, money, space, or whatever else you need.
  • Create a Strong Conclusion
    Plan a special event for the end of the evening that everyone can enjoy and remember. A great idea for this is a slide show of photos from the past to the present or a "senior video." Students, faculty, and parents can work together on this event.
  • Remember to Say Thank You
    Make it a point to say thank you to everyone who helped to make the evening a success. A thank you breakfast or coffee afterward is nice. A thank you ad in your local newspaper is also a good way to show your appreciation.

One of the most important aspects of having a successful "All Nighter" (besides the food) is the activity. You need to have lots of different activities. While "Shop ‘Til You Drop" is apropos of spending the day at the mall, "Play ‘Til You Plop" is the name of the game at the All Night Bash.

An All Night Bash can be as successful in your own high school as in a health club or other facility if you make the decorations outrageous and the activities fun and exciting. Tie the activities into your theme: for instance, if your theme is a jungle theme, instead of just bowling, call it coconut bowling. Plan activities for the entire evening. If there is a lag time between activities, some students may get bored.

Try some of these zany ideas for adding fun and silliness to your "All Night Bash."

  • Pin the Tail on the Elephant or whatever fits your theme. It could be a star on the Empire State Building.
  • Tattoo Parlor - Invite someone from your community or local art school to paint small, temporary tattoos on students using washable body paints, or purchase commercially available temporary tattoos.
  • Find the Jelly Bean - Place two jelly beans inside a pie tin and cover them with at least two inches of whipped cream. Prepare one pie tin for each contestant. Place goggles on each contestant. At the whistle, each student tries to find the jelly beans without using his/her hands. Allow two cans of whipped cream per pie tin. Do not dispense the whipped cream until immediately before the event or it will melt.
  • Instant photos on key chains or just candid shots are great souvenirs. Large cardboard or foam-core cutouts, theme props or "stick your head through the hole" props are lots of fun. If your theme is Egyptian, how about a large pyramid as a backdrop for pictures, or a giant mummy?
  • Graffiti Wall - Cover a large area with paper (a large window shade also works well). Students can write or draw messages with markers. It can be given to the class to be brought out for class reunions.
  • Name the Legs Contest - Blow up pictures of students’ legs from different activities or take pictures to post on a board. Have the students guess whose legs they are. You could give them a list for them to work from (you could also use movie stars’ legs).
  • Game Show - Use your imagination in adapting a current TV show for students to play, e.g. "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," "Survivor," or "Hollywood Squares." Make sure you find a dynamic emcee (volunteer) to host this activity. With the right volunteer, it can be a smash hit.
  • Teacher Bingo Contest - Ask nine or twelve teachers or administrators if you can use their baby pictures for this activity. Post the pictures on a board. Give students a list of names to match up with the pictures. This is a fun activity and the students love to see their teachers and administrators as their former selves. Don’t forget to post the correct names with the correct pictures at the end of the contest so everyone can see who’s who.
  • Senior Slide Show - Have some members of the class prepare a slide show of your class year or years together by taking slides of old photos and yearbook photos and school activities. Invite seniors and parents to bring in favorite old photos from students’ younger days, dance recitals, and old team or class pictures. Halloween photos are great and they bring back wonderful memories. Try to make sure that every senior is included in the slide show. A tape of music coordinated with the pictures will make the show complete. Make the slide show the grand finale – it can be a real tear-jerker! The slide show can also be put on a video and even on a CD that the class or after prom committee can sell. For complete directions on producing a slide show, call the SADD National Office.
  • Frisbee Throw - Hang an inflatable pool tube or hula hoop from the ceiling and have students try to throw a Frisbee through it at a target or just through the hoop. Give three chances, and don’t forget to award prizes.
  • Nail Art - Ask local nail artists to donate some time at your event to paint designs and fun colors on nails – moons, stars, graduation caps, roses, hearts and rainbows are just a few ideas.
  • Caricatures and Silhouettes - Invite talented community members or art students to attend and do caricatures or silhouettes of the partygoers.
  • Prophecy/Predictions is a variation of the time capsule. Students fill out a prediction of what they will be in ten years – discovered by Hollywood, a rock star, married, a doctor, a lawyer, etc. These are great fun when read at the tenth year reunion. Make sure you find a safe place for these and any other items, such as the slide show, that are going to be used at a later date.
  • Lucky Monkey Search - Make lots of identical monkeys (or whatever fits your theme) and one that is different. Hang them all up and have the students search for the "lucky/ different" one. The winner receives a prize.
  • Giant Twister - Gather ten to twenty Twister games and put them all together. Have teams play and watch the fun. Don’t forget to award a prize to the winning team.
  • These are just a few of the activities that you can plan for your alcohol and drug-free party. There are many more that you can create. Don’t forget entertainment – a DJ, karaoke, a hypnotist, or a comedian can also be great fun.

Have a great time!

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Prom Pledge

For free SADD National prom materials, call 1-877-SADD-INC or email kandrasko@sadd.com.

Have prom pledge among dates. Make up a contract for dates to sign together (about remaining sober for the prom). Make the contract out of a red heart shaped paper.

Other Prom Ideas

  • Don't use wine glasses as souvenirs.
  • Plan casino games, beach party, etc. for after prom
  • Put fliers on cars in the parking lot so when students leave prom they see the "sober message."
  • Put fliers in tuxedo pockets about safe driving responsibilities.
  • Community Welcome Sign- Have your wood shop class help make a sign, "Welcome to Any Town. Don't Drink and Drive from Any Town High SADD."
  • Police Ride-along- Make arrangements to do an evening patrol to observe police work.
  • Billboard Campaign-  Get a billboard for one year. Have names of those killed put on the board or some other type of message.
  • Support Groups- Help sponsor a support group (through your counseling department) for students who live in homes where alcohol/drug abuse is taking place.
  • Resource Room- Check with your school/public library to see if they have a drug/alcohol information resource room. Offer to help obtain material for the room. Use money from fund-raisers to purchase new items.
  • PTA Newsletter- Use this as a means of making parents more aware of your activities and the dangers of drunk driving.
  • Cab/Bus Campaign- Get permission from a company or city vehicles to put SADD bumper stickers on their bumpers.
  • Airplane Message- Have an airplane service tow a SADD message over your school or town on special occasions, holidays, etc. Use a sky writing plane, too! 
  • Theater Slides- Provide local movie theaters with slides with the SADD message to include in their previews.
  • Homeless Helpers- Help feed the homeless one day a month or visit a nursing home, children's hospital, or crisis center.
  • Napkin Message- Ask local restaurants to provide napkins with the SADD message during prom/grad time.
  • Liquor Store Notice- Make sure local liquor stores know about graduation date. Ask them to "double check" IDs and put up signs about underage drinking.
  • Merchant Discount- Work with merchants to offer discounts from tux rentals, flowers and restaurants to those who sign contract or pledge cards, indicating no drinking during prom season.
  • Graduation Message- Give out SADD key chains with the "Congrats" message to each senior at your school.
  • All Night Celebrations- Sponsor with parent group for seniors.
  • Senior Cake- Sponsor sheet cake(s) for seniors during their last meeting/or rehearsal. Put SADD's logo and message, "Friends Forever - class of '??."
  • Senior BBQ- Have chapter sponsor a BBQ for seniors (or a brunch, breakfast, etc.)
  • Prom Breakfast- Sponsor a post prom breakfast.
  • Free Prom Pictures- Drawing for free prom picture package from names of those who signed a SADD Contract. Work with your prom photographer.
  • Ticket Message- Ask that a "Drive Sober" message be printed on all prom tickets.

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Commencement Commitment

Make up a contract for graduates to sign together (about remaining sober). Make the contract look like a diploma, roll it up, tie a SADD ribbon around it, and ask the Principal to hand them out to graduates at commencement.

Use any of the above suggestions for activity ideas.

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Mental Health Month

Website: www.nmha.org

"Although people spend far more time addressing their physical health than their mental health, we know that mental illness is more common than cancer, lung and heart disease combined. And untreated mental illness can complicate many minor and serious physical disorders. It’s up to us to convince the public that caring for their mental health is key to living full and productive lives—and to show people how they can do it, every day." National Mental Health Association http://www.nmha.org/may/index.cfm

Visit their website for great information and suggestions on how you can promote Mental Health Month at your school.

Perhaps you could have your school administrators agree to a "Mental Health Day" at your school. On that day your could have a Mental Health Fair and invite all of your local health care agencies to set up a booth; have a fun activity set up (perhaps with the help of your athletic department) to emphasize the importance of fun in your life; invite a face painter to paint faces for the silliness of it; have a panel of experts speak at an assembly on good mental health; etc.

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Clean Air Month

Website: www.lungusa.org

The American Lung Association offers a wide variety of health education programs to help students breathe easier. From smoking prevention and cessation programs to asthma education to indoor air quality programs in schools, they are a resource for educators nationwide. For more information on programs in your area, call your local American Lung Association at 1-800-LUNG-USA.

Visit their website for data and information specific to your area at http://lungaction.org/reports/stateoftheair2005.html and http://www.lungusa.org/local/.

Ideas for activities:

  • Make gas masks and wear them for a day.
  • Create a billboard or poster with questions about clean air (ask your science teacher to help you with this), set it up on a table in a prominent location, ask students to try and answer all of the questions correctly. Ask a local nursery to donate plants and give them out as prizes throughout the day to those people who answered correctly.
  • Ask your science department for other ideas.
  • Call your local American Lung Association office for other ideas.

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National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month

Website: www.advocatesforyouth.org

The National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month (NTPPM) Planning Guidebook 
(http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/publications/orderform.htm) provides strategic organizing tips and examples to help local communities plan and coordinate activities in May for National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month (NTPPM). It also includes great ideas for teens' involvement, fact sheets, stickers, strategies for schools, and suggestions for conducting NTPPM media campaigns. It is not, however, free. There is a $30 charge for the 70 p. guidebook, and NTPPM Campaign materials can be purchased separately: bookmarks (100) $10.00; stickers (100) $10.00; and posters (10) $10.00. 

This website (http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/teens/index.htm) offers links and information that you will find useful in planning your awareness campaign.

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National Teacher Appreciation Week (May 4-10)

Website: http://www.pta.org

SADD chapters would not exist if it were not for the dedication and hard work of the chapter advisors, most of whom are teachers. Students, take this week to show your appreciation for all that your chapter advisor has done over the past year/s to make your chapter the success that it is. And please start by telling them how much I appreciate everything that they do. J

Here are some suggestions from the National PTA website on how students and parents can show their appreciation:

  • Middle school students can write a "recipe" with the ingredients and directions needed to "create" their perfect teachers. Students can then share their recipes with their teachers.
  • Middle school students can make a "bouquet of thanks." Students can cut flowers out of paper and write a word or phrase in the center of each that best describes their teacher. Find a creative way to display the flowers in the classroom or in an area at school where everyone can see them.
  • All registered FL SADD clubs can contact this office for a letter of appreciation to be sent directly to their club advisor from the FL SADD state coordinator on their behalf.
  • Parents can write a personal note to their children's teachers, thanking them for the special time and effort they have provided throughout the year.

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National SAFE KIDS Week (May 6-13)

Website: www.safekids.org

Medical professionals have long referred to May through August as "trauma season" because unintentional injuries and deaths spike dramatically. Children are rushed to the hospital nearly 3 million times for serious injuries during these months, and an estimated 2550 children lose their lives. Nearly 28 million children ride bicycles and the popularity of scooters, skateboards and inline skates has been skyrocketing. The National SAFE KIDS Campaign found that nearly 51 percent of children ages 10 to 14 who suffered a serious bike injury were diagnosed with traumatic brain injury, compared to 44 percent of children ages 5 to 9 and 38 percent of children ages 4 and under.

National SAFE KIDS week is an opportunity for your clubs to get the word out regarding safe bicycling, skateboarding, inline skating, etc. Be sure to visit the National Safe Kids Campaign web page for ideas and facts at www.safekids.org.

Here are two examples of activities:

"Build a Better Bike Helmet"

  • Discuss bike helmet safety with your club. Have samples of helmets on hand.
  • Divide the students into groups. Each group is assigned the task of improving helmet safety features. Challenge students to come up with additions or changes that would make helmets more effective and/or desirable to wear.
  • Then, have students draw their ideas and label their drawings with a brief description of the new, improved helmet.
  • Share their ideas with the rest of the school and display the posters in a public area of the school.

"Egg Drop"

  • Have club members wrap eggs in a variety of materials.
  • Hold an "egg drop," to see which materials best protect the eggs from breaking.
  • Be sure to include Styrofoam as an option, to replicate the way a helmet protects the head from injury in a fall.

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National Suicide Awareness Week (April 28-May 4)

Website: http://www.suicidology.org

Every 17 minutes, another person dies from suicide. But, suicide does not just happen out of the blue. It is often the end result of a battle with depression that may have involved cries for help. Suicide may occur when signs of depression are misunderstood or ignored. Too many teens die from suicide when their problems could easily be treated by recognizing the symptoms of depression.

A stigma that has existed about suicide and depression keeps many people from discussing the issue. If suicide is not discussed, people will not be informed. If people are not informed, they cannot get help. If they do not get help, they will continue to die needlessly. To find out if you or someone you love is suffering from depression, visit a free National Depression Screening Day analysis site near you. Or, log onto http://www.depression-screening.org and take a free, confidential test online.

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Childhood Depression Awareness Day (May 6)

Website: www.mentalhealthamerica.net/index.cfm

Depression affects as many as one in every 33 children and one in eight adolescents, according to the federal Center for Mental Health Services. Once a child experiences an episode of depression, he or she is at risk of having another episode within the next five years.

The symptoms of depression may look different in youth than in adults, and as a result, are often overlooked or misunderstood. Consequences of untreated depression can include social isolation, difficulties at home and school, and an increased risk of suicide.

"The fact that one in five children have a diagnosable mental health problem but less than a third receive care is cause for alarm," says Michael Faenza, president and CEO of NMHA. "Promoting mental health awareness and knowing the warning signs are essential to improving and even saving young people who may be risk for depression and other mental illnesses."

Please visit the National Mental Health Association’s web site at http://www.nmha.org  for free materials, information, and resources for your club to present a successful National Childhood Depression Awareness Day.

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National Police Week (May 11-17)

Website: www.nationalpoliceweek.com

To pay tribute to the law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country and to voice our appreciation for all those who currently serve on the front lines of the battle against crime, the Congress, by a joint resolution approved October 1, 1962 (75 Stat.676), has authorized and requested President Kennedy to designate May 15 of each year as "Peace Officers Memorial Day," and the week in which it falls as "Police Week" and by Public Law 103-322 (36 U.S.C. 175) has requested that the flag be flown at half-staff on Peace Officers Memorial Day.

Show your appreciation for your local police department by honoring them in any way that you can. One way is to create a school proclamation, gather as many signatures as you can, and invite the Chief of Police to a school assembly to give it to him/her. Here’s a sample proclamation:

Whereas, The Congress and President of the United States have designated May 15 as Peace Officers' Memorial Day, and the week in which May 15 falls as National Police week; and

Whereas, the members of the law enforcement agency of (municipality) play an essential role in safeguarding the rights and freedoms of (municipality); and

Whereas, it is important that all citizens know and understand the duties, responsibilities, hazards, and sacrifices of their law enforcement agency, and that members of our law enforcement agency recognize their duty to serve the people by safeguarding life and property, by protecting them against violence and disorder, and by protecting the innocent against deception and the weak against oppression; and

Whereas, the men and women of the law enforcement agency of (municipality) unceasingly provide a vital public service;

Now, therefore, we, (title) of (school), call upon all citizens of (municipality) and upon all patriotic, civic and educational organizations to observe the week of May (date) - (date), (year), as Police Week with appropriate ceremonies and observances in which all of our people may join in commemorating law enforcement officers, past and present, who, by their faithful and loyal devotion to their responsibilities, have rendered a dedicated service to their communities and, in so doing, have established for themselves an enviable and enduring reputation for preserving the rights and security of all citizens.

We further call upon all students of (school) to observe (day), May (date), as Peace Officers' Memorial Day in honor of those law enforcement officers who, through their courageous deeds, have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their community or have become disabled in the performance of duty, and let us recognize and pay respect to the survivors of our fallen heroes.

In witness thereof, we have hereunto set our hand and signed our appreciation below.

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Click It or Ticket" National Enforcement Mobilization (May 12-June1) 

Website: www.nhtsa.gov

This national campaign is coordinated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It was developed to address the serious issue of seat belt usage. As you already know, car crashes are the number one cause of death for teens in this country. Those statistics could radically be changed if every one of us made sure that each passenger in the car was buckled up. Such a simple thing to do, with such incredible results!

Learn how to promote an environment that will Buckle Up and more about seat belt safety at the following websites. www.trafficsafety.org  , www.nsc.org , and at www.nhtsa.gov

Seat Belt Awareness Activities

We all know seat belts save lives, but teenagers today still do not wear their seat belts, and they are dying as a result. Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that of the almost 6,000 young occupants who died in motor vehicle crashes in 1999, more than 66% (over 4,000) were not wearing seat belts. The percentage of young people who were unbelted in alcohol-related crashes is even higher.

SADD chapters need to make their peers’ seat belt use a high priority. We need to do all we can to increase seat belt use by young people. The following is a list of activities that SADD chapters in other schools have conducted:

  • Start by being a role model. Always buckle up and make sure everyone you ride with or who rides with you buckles up.
  • Conduct seat belt checks. One day without warning hold a seat belt check at the entrances to your school. Stop all cars entering the school grounds to check for seat belt use. Give a candy bar to those who were wearing their seat belt and give a note to those who were not that says, "Please buckle up." Keep count of the number of people who wore their seat belts and the number who did not. Conduct seat belt checks again in the following months to see if more people are buckling up. Try a seat belt check when students are leaving school, too. Your goal is 100% participation!
  • Put license plate numbers of all drivers who are buckled up coming into school in a hat for a drawing to win prizes such as a pizza party or ice cream sundae party.
  • In between seat belt checks put up posters, hand out literature, and read PSAs over the public address system to remind everyone to buckle up.
  • Challenge other high schools in your area to see who can reach 100% or the highest participation. Ask a local pizza or ice cream shop to provide an award to the SADD chapter whose school attains the highest percentage.
  • Erect a chart in the lobby of your school or out on the front lawn tracking the numbers as they increase. Design the chart in the shape of a seat belt. Indicate the number of seat belt users from the first seat belt check and continue to paint in the progress as you go.
  • Consider a "Living Seat Belt Around City Hall" to draw attention to the importance of wearing safety belts. On a designated day, have people join hands to encircle City Hall. In front of the building link the circle by "fastening" a large cardboard safety belt buckle. Be sure to invite elected officials and the media participate in this event.
  • Obtain permission from your administration to paint buckle up messages at the entrances and exits of your schools.
  • The Quick Click Buckle Challenge, which emphasizes the ease of putting on and taking off seat beats, is a fun way to get people to wear their seat belts. Winning teams can even compete with teams from other schools or challenge teachers to a "belt-off." Providing awards to the winners adds more fun to the competition.
  • For a more extensive list of seat belt activities, fax your request to the SADD National Office at 508-481-5759.

Middle School Buckle-Up Activity

When conducting seat belt check, address it to the parents in the pick-up line at your school. Give each driver who is wearing a seat belt a lifesaver with a message saying "Thanks for being a lifesaver." Those drivers who are not wearing a seat belt should receive a dum-dum with a message saying "Please don’t be a dum-dum. Always buckle up!"

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Click It Or Ticket – Memorial Day Weekend

Safety experts predict that the Click It Or Ticket campaign can prevent an estimated 10,427 injuries and save more than 600 lives each year as a result of increased seat belt use. The Click It Or Ticket wave coincides with Buckle Up Florida’s enforcement wave and is part of a 50-state coordinated effort. During the Memorial Day holiday week, more than 10,000 law enforcement agencies nationwide will crackdown on drivers who break adult or child restraint laws.

Here are some suggested activities to promote the Click It Or Ticket campaign:

  • Host a presentation of what happens when a vehicle turns over in a rollover crash. (Contact Chip Monts, Program Director of You Drink & Drive, You Lose. at (904) 620-4786.)
  • Join your local Community Traffic Safety Team. (For meeting times and locations near you, visit www.ctst.org).
  • Contact the Buckle Up Florida Office for campaign items and information at (904) 620-4786 or kroop@unf.edu.
  • Place announcements in programs, websites and mailings of local organizations discussing the importance of safety belt use and your agency's participation in the Click It or Ticket initiative.
  • Host a Click It or Ticket Safety Fair at a library, community center, club or church. Invite all community partner agencies to participate.
  • Stage an earned media event with a special focus on safety belt and child safety seat use, like child safety seat checks, observational surveys or buckle up     pledges at a church or special school assembly.  
  • Contact newspapers, television news stations and radio stations and encourage them to feature stories about safety belt use and your agency's participation in Click It or Ticket.
  • Distribute Buckle Up Florida literature, posters and other materials to expand the reach and communication of the Click It or Ticket message.

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World "No Tobacco" Day (May 31)

Website: www.who.int/tobacco/en

Every year, tobacco kills 3.5 million people around the world. In other words, about 10,000 people around the world die from tobacco every day. One million of these deaths currently occur in developing countries. Of course, the best thing is to not start smoking at all. But if you have, or you know someone who smokes, now is a good time to share information on quitting!

How fast your body recovers from smoking:

  • In twelve hours, your blood is free of carbon monoxide.
  • In two days, the nicotine and its by-products are out of your system.
  • In around three months, your lungs regain the ability to clean themselves.
  • In 10 years, your risk of lung cancer is more than halved and continues to decline over time.
  • In a year, your risk of dying from heart disease has halved.

Quitting tips

  • Write down your own personal reasons to quit in the space on the right hand refer to them if you ever feel tempted to light up.
  • Even the worst cravings only last a few minutes. If you can resist them during this time they will pass. Remember the 4Ds, they may help:
    • Delay
    • Deep breath
    • Drink water
    • Do something else.
  • Think of quitting as part of a new healthier lifestyle. Try to eat healthier foods and get more exercise, even if it's just taking the stairs instead of the lift, or walking to the shops.
  • It may also help to cut down on coffee or "brown soda" (i.e. coke like drinks), at least for the first few weeks as without nicotine in your system you absorb twice as much caffeine. The last thing you need when you're trying to beat cravings is to feel jittery and anxious.

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National Bike Month

Websites:
www.bikemonth.com
www.bicyclinginfo.org

Americans have been commemorating National Bike Month in May for 47 years, thanks to the League of American Bicyclists www.bikeleague.org. Timed to coincide with the arrival of warmer weather, the event has inspired countless bike rides, safety inspections, commuter challenges, ribbon-cuttings, "share the road" promotions, and other varied celebrations of bicycling in communities across the nation.

One of the most popular activities in Bike Month is encouraging people to bicycle to school or work and forsake their motor vehicles for just one day. Bicycling is fun, healthy, safe, convenient, and by riding you are setting a great example to others. So above all have a great time riding. Communities across the United States celebrate National Bike Month with all kinds of events and activities, so find out what's going on in your community, follow these simple tips http://www.bicyclinginfo.org/insight/features/started.htm and have a great ride.

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Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month

Websites:
www.smsa.org
www.msf-usa.org

Each year, May is designated Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month. States and motorcycle organizations across the country conduct a variety of activities to promote the importance of motorist awareness and sharing the road with motorcyclists.

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