FEBRUARY FACTS
- February begins on the same day of the
week as March and November in a
common year, and on the same day of
the week as August in a leap year.
- On a few occasions in history, February
has had 30 days.
- February in the Northern Hemisphere is
the seasonal equivalent to August in the
Southern Hemisphere and vise versa.
- February's birthstone is amethyst.
- February's flower is the violet or primrose.
- The Chinese floral emblem of February is
the peach blossom
OBSERVANCES
Potato Lover's Month
- Your options are enormous for
celebrating the Potato. How about
inviting someone in to talk about the
nutrition found in potatoes. How about
sharing potato recipes (how about
making those recipes to sample). We
were lucky enough to have a Lays plant at
the edge of town. They provided us with
lots of seconds (the only problem was
that the label had slipped or misprinted
and the bags of chips couldn't go to
market)...talk about fresh potato chips...
yummy! And don't forget homemade
French fires, fried potatoes, stuffed
potatoes, real mashed potatoes, baked
potatoes...and on, and on, and on. Also,
don't forget the people who make craft
stamps out of potatoes.
Vegetation Month
- This is a good opportunity to bring in
samples of Bonsai Trees and other
indoor plants. Perhaps pass out house
plants to your residents. How about
starting an indoor gardening club where
the residents bring their plants together
each month to see how they have grown?
American Heart Month
- Promote heart awareness throughout
your facility. Include Nursing and Dietary.
Put up posters, conduct an inservice,
make badges and have your residents
support American Heart Month all month
long. Invite the public in and conduct a
mini-seminar featuring your local Heart
Association (serve heart healthy snacks).
American History Month
- Have a history discussion with your
residents. Let them share what they
remember (i.e. historic events which
happened in their lifetime). Bring in a
history club to share the history of your
local area. Perhaps you can work in a
program about genealogy.
American Music Month
- The door is wide open here. Invite in your
music contacts and organize special
music for each week of the month.
Hardly any musician turns down a
chance to present their music in health
care facilities (some charge, some do it
for the residents, some do it to practice...
you try to get them for free).
Biorhythm Health Month
Black History Month
- Invite local teachers and historians in to
talk about black history. In some areas of
the country, the only black history people
know about is Martin Luther King Jr.
While he is extremely important, black
history is far richer and more important
than many people are aware.
Canned Food Month
Celebration of Chocolate Month
- Oh, Yeah!!!! My favorite subject. Find out
the history of chocolate. Provide
samples. If there is a chocolate shop
near you, invite them in to talk about
making chocolates (and encourage them
to bring samples). A chocolate shop
owner will make a great resource for you
to tap several times throughout the year.
Creative Romance Month
- Gather the residents and discuss how
they met their great love. Works great
with Valentine's Day.
Great American Pies Month
- How about a pie contest? Let the
residents eat the entries.
Human Relations Month
International "Boost" Your Ego
Month
International Embroidery Month
- Many of your lady residents (and some
men) love to do embroidery. Bring in
samples from people who embroider for
a hobby. Perhaps your residents have
samples of their own. It would be a good
time for a ladies tea and to kindle an
embroidery club (if you have anyone
whose fingers are dexterous enough to
do the fine hand work).
International Friendship Month
- This would be a good chance to start a
Secret Pal club. How about assigning
"friends for a day" (let the residents hang
out with someone they don't know too
well). Give the participating residents a
little question form so they can interview
their "friend for a day." Then reassemble
the next day and share what they have
learned with the other participants. It
helps everyone learn about everyone
else. (You could do the same thing with
staff and residents).
International Twit Award Month
- Everyone knows someone who is a
candidate.
National Cat Health Month
- Bring in cats for show & tell. Perhaps a
veterinarian can come in and talk about
cat health (with examples of healthy
cats). The residents will love to hold
them and pet them (the cats, that is).
National Cherry Month
- How about chocolate covered cherries?
Also, cherry pies. How about chocolate
covered cherry pies? Mmmmmm! Or you
could top all of your desserts with
maraschino cherries.
National Children's
Dental Health Month
National Fiber Focus Month
- Eat oats. Bring in someone to talk about
the benefits of eating more fiber (maybe
your facility dietitian).
National Scottish Culture Month
- Bring in bagpipes, tartans, and kilties.
National Snack Food Month
National Weddings Month
National Wild Bird Feeding Month
- Clean up and fill up those bird feeders.
Maybe someone can present a program
about feeding the local wildlife.
Responsible Pet Owner Month
- Return Shopping Carts To the
Supermarket Month
FAMOUS WEEKS
Week 1
Agricultural Week
National Pay Your Bills Week
Week 2
Big Brothers/Sisters Week
Boy Scouts Week
- Bring in your local Boy Scout troop in
uniform to visit the residents.
Celebration of Love Week
- Have a Valentine's Party. Crown a King &
Queen. Make it an all out
resident/staff/volunteer/family occasion.
Circle K International Week
Dietary Managers' Pride in Food
Service Week
- Honor your dietary manager. Give her a
card signed by residents and staff. Have
a little party. Brighten her day and let her
know she is appreciated.
Hero Week
International Forgiveness Week
National Cardiopulmonary Week
National Crime Prevention Week
National Future Homemakers of
America Week
National New Idea Week
National Salute to Hospitalized
Veterans Week
National School Counseling Week
Week 3
Brotherhood Week
Health Education Week
Home for Birds Week
International Friendship Week
National Cardiovascular
Technologists Recognition Week
National Condom Week
National Engineers Week
National Pedestrian Toll Week
Pay Your Bills Week
Week 4
International Friendship Week
National Engineers Week
Pancake Week
- Everybody loves breakfast. How about a
cooked to order pancake breakfast (for
the men only?; for everyone?; your
choice).
Truth Week
CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS
February 1st:
- Sherman Hemsley, 1938
- Rick James, 1948 (Singer) Died August
6, 2004. www.rickjames.com.
- Lisa Marie Presley, 1968
- Princess Stephanie of Monoco, 1965
February 2nd:
- Christie Brinkley, 1954
- Farrah Fawcett, 1947 (Actress)
- James Joyce, 1882 (Died January 13,
1941 at the age of 58)
- Holly Hunter, 1958 (Actress)
- Tom Smothers, 1937 (The Smothers
Brothers - Official Web site: www.
smothersbrothers.com)
February 3rd:
- Joey Bishop, 1918 - Actor, Comedian, TV
Personality - member of the "Rat Pack."
(Born in the Bronx, NY)
- Morgan Fairchild, 1950 (Actress)
- Dr. Henry Heimlich www.heimlichinstitute.
org/howtodo.html
- Frank Tarkenton, 1940 (Athlete, Football)
February 4th:
- David Brenner, 1936 (Comedian)
- Alice Cooper, 1948 (Musician) - Real
name: Vincent Furnier
- Charles Lindbergh, 1902
- Rosa Parks - "Mother of the Modem Day
Civil Rights Movement." Born Rosa
Louise McCauley on February 4, 1913 in
Tuskegee, Alabama. She refused to give
up her seat to a white passenger on a
segregated bus on December 1, 1955
and was arrested. She died October 24,
2005 at the age of 92. www.rosaparks.
org
- Dan Quayle (former US VP)
February 5th:
- Hank Aaron, 1934 (Athlete, Baseball)
- Bobby Brown, 1969 (Singer)
- Red Buttons, 1919 (Comedian/Actor)
www.redbuttons.net
- Barbara Hershey, 1948 (Actress)
- Al Kooper, 1944 (musician, Blood Sweat
& Tears)
- Roger Staubach, 1942 (Athlete, NFL
quarterback)
February 6th:
- Zsa Zsa Gabor, 1917 (Actress)
- Ronald Reagan, 40th US President 1981-
1989. Born February 6, 1911, in Tampico,
Illinois. Died June 5, 2004 in Bel-Air,
California. Married to Nancy Davis
Reagan. See biography at the official
White House
- Babe Ruth (Baseball Great) - born
George Herman Ruth, Jr. on February 6,
1895 in Baltimore, Maryland. He died on
August 16, 1948 at Memorial Hospital in
New York City at age 53 from throat
cancer. www.baberuth.com
February 7th:
- Charles Dickens, Author. Born February
7, 1812. Died June 9, 1870. www.
dickensmuseum.com
- Sinclair Lewis, Author - born Harry
Sinclair Lewis in Sauk Centre, Minnesota
on February 7, 1885. Died January 10,
1951.
February 8th:
- Gary Coleman, 1968 (Actor)
- James Dean, Actor - born James Byron
Dean on February 8, 1931 in Marion,
Indiana. Died September 30, 1955 in an
auto accident in California at the age of
24. www.jamesdean.com
- John Grisham, 1955 (Author)
- Robert Kline, 1942 (Comedian, Actor)
- Ted Koppel, 1940 (Newsman)
- Audrey Meadows, 1926 (Actress, Alice on
The Honeymooners) born February 8,
1926 in China. Died February 3, 1996 in
Los Angeles at the age of 69. Sister of
actress Jane Meadows. www.
audreymeadows.com
- Terry Melcher, 1942 (record producer.)
Died November 19, 2004 from
Melanoma. Doris Day's son.
- Jules Verne, 1828 (Sci-Fi)
- Mary Steenbergen, 1953 (Actress)
February 9th:
- Mia Farrow, 1945 (Actress)
- William H. Harrison, 1773 (9th US
President)
February 10th:
- Lon Chaney, Jr. "The Master Monster"
born Creighton Tull Chaney on February
10, 1906 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Died July 12, 1973. He was the son of
silent screen star Lon Chaney. See Web
site: www.lonchaney.com
- Roberta Flack, 1939
- Mark Spitz, 1950 (Olympic Swimmer, Won
7 Gold Medals)
- Robert Wagner, 1930 (Actor)
February 11th:
- Thomas Edison, 1847
- Leslie Neilson, 1927 (Actor)
- Burt Reynolds, 1936 (Actor)
February 12th:
- Lorne Greene, Actor (Bonanza) - born
February 12, 1915 in Ottawa Canada.
Died September 11, 1987 in Santa
Monica, CA from pneumonia following
heart surgery. http://bonanza1.com/lorne.
html
- Abraham Lincoln, 1809 (16th US
President)
February 13th:
- Tennessee Ernie Ford, Singer & TV
Personality. Born February 13, 1919 in
Bristol, Tennessee. Died on October 17,
1991 in Reston, VA. Elected to the
Country Music Hall of Fame in 1990
- Kim Novak, 1933 (Actress)
February 14th:
- Hugh Downs, 1921 (TV Personality)
- George Ferris, 1859 (Inventor of the ferris
wheel)
- Gregory Hines, 1946 (actor/dancer.) He
died August 9, 2003 from cancer.
- Jimmy Hoffa, 1939 (Labor Leader)
- Rosa Parks, 1913 www.rosaparks.org
February 15th:
- Susan B. Anthony, 1820
- Roger Chaffe, 1935 (Astronaut)
- Galileo Galilei, 1564 (Astronomer)
- Charles Tiffany, 1812 - born in Killingly,
Connecticut.
February 16th:
- Edgar Bergen, 1903 (Ventriloquist)
- John McEnroe, 1959 (Athlete, Tennis)
February 17th:
- Alan Bates, 1934 (Actor) Died December
27, 2003 at the age of 69. Numerous
films including "The Mothman
Prophecies," "Spartacus" and many
more. For info see: www.imdb.
com/name/nm0000869
- Hal Holbrook, 1925 (Actor)
- Michael Jordan, 1963
- Gene Pitney, American singer, song
writer and musician born February 17,
1941 in Hartford, CT. He died April 5,
2006 at the age of 65 from natural
causes.
- Denise Richards, 1971
February 18th:
- Helen Gurley Brown, Author, Publisher,
Editor. Born February 18, 1922 in Green
Forest, Arkansas, raised in Little Rock.
Editor-in-Chief of Cosmopolitan
magazine for 32 years.
- Matt Dillon, 1964
- Cybil Shepherd, 1950
- John Travolta, 1954 (Actor)
February 19th:
- Prince Andrew of England, 1960
- Jeff Daniels, 1955 (Actor)
- Smoky Robinson - William "Smokey"
Robinson (The Miracles) was born
February 19, 1940 in Detroit, Michigan -
Source: www.history-of-rock.
com/miracles.htm
February 20th:
- Charles Barkley, 1963
- Kurt Cobain, 1967
- Cindy Crawford, 1966
- Sidney Poitier, 1927 (Actor)
- Gloria Vanderbilt, 1924
February 21st:
- Erma Bombeck, 1927 (Author, Columnist)
- Tyne Daly, Actress (One of our very
favorites!) Currently plays Maxine Gray on
the TV Show Judging Amy. She won 4
Emmys for Cagney & Lacey. Her father is
actor James Daly and her brother is Tim
Daly (we best remember him on
"Wings.") She was born February 21,
1946
- Kelsey Grammer, 1955
- Jennifer Love Hewitt, 1979
February 22nd:
- Drew Barrymore, 1975
- Julius Erving, 1950
- Edward M. Kennedy, 1932 (US Senator)
- George Washington, 1732 (1st US
President)
February 23rd: