Although the month begins with what some consider a rather bazaar tradition started in 1887, when Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, held its first Groundhog Day festival on Feb. 2, if February were a color it would be red.
Why red?
First, the first Friday in February (February 3) is National Wear Red Day. On this day in February, which is considered American Heart Month, everyone across the country is asked to don the color red in order to raise and spread awareness in hopes to help eradicate heart disease and stroke in millions of women all over the nation.
Second, a mere six days later in February (February 9) is the Giving Hearts Day, 24-hours of giving dedicated to improving generous hearts and lives.
Third, don’t forget St. Valentine’s Day, February 14 – another day where both red and hearts are the focus.
National Wear Red Day, February 3, 2023
The American Heart Association, the world’s leading nonprofit organization focused on heart and brain health for all, together with its signature movement, Go Red for Women®, encourages you to ‘wear red and give’ Friday, Feb. 3, 2023, on National Wear Red Day® to raise awareness of cardiovascular disease: women’s greatest health threat.
Cardiovascular disease kills one woman every 80 seconds and takes more lives than all forms of cancer combined. Heart disease and stroke also impact the lives of one in three women – or a third of mothers, sisters and friends – and cardiac events are on the rise in young women in their 20s.
While 80 percent of cardiovascular diseases can be prevented through modest changes to diet and lifestyle, disparities in care for women’s heart and brain health continue to exist. In addition, heart disease and stroke symptoms can present differently in women compared to men. Women also make up less than half of all clinical trial participants globally, with women of color only accounting for three percent. As a result, more research is needed to close gender disparity gaps when it comes to cardiovascular research, treatment and care.
Cardiovascular diseases continue to be a woman’s greatest health threat. To treat, beat and prevent heart disease and stroke, women should understand family health history, know their five key personal health numbers – these help determine risk for heart disease and stroke: total cholesterol, HDL (good) cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar and body mass index – and make healthy behavior changes like moving more, eating smart and managing blood pressure.
Giving Hearts Day, February 9, 2023
Donating a little bit of money or time may not seem like much. But if your donation is joined with others, it becomes something much bigger.
Giving Hearts Day is a 24-hour online give-a-thon that has increased fundraising success by charities of North Dakota and western Minnesota. Giving Hearts Day will take place on Thursday, February 9.
The Dakota Medical Foundation (DMF) and Impact Foundation was founded in 2008 as the region’s first one-day virtual fundraising event with donations made on impactgiveback.org. Since its start, millions have been raised through Giving Hearts Days.
Charities that participate in this event receive Impact Institute training for year-round fundraising success and take part in a Giving Hearts Day gear-up intensive training to prepare.
On the day of the event, participating organizations, along with DMF and Impact marketing, create a great amount of compassion, awareness, and donations.
To donate, donors can go to the website www.impactgiveback.org, choose an organization to donate to, and easily give on Giving Hearts Day with just a few minutes of time.
For donors, each donation is tax-deductible and enables an e-card to be sent to a friend or family member, letting them know a donation has been made in their honor.
DMF or, in some cases, community donors match gifts of $10 or greater up to at least $4,000 per charity. DMF offers incentives to the charities with the highest donations as well. Other $500 grants are awarded for the most creative marketing strategy, best use of social media, donations from the largest amount of people, and donations from the most North Dakota cities and the most states.
There are several organizations in Devils Lake that will be participating in the 2023 Giving Hearts Day: The Hope Center (local food pantry), Safe Alternatives for Abused Families (SAAF), Nexus-PATH Family Healing, Women’s Care Center, Devils Lake Public Schools Development Fund, St. Joseph Catholic School and St. Mary’s Academy and Heartview.
If you are looking to donate, Giving Hearts Day offers a quick, easy way to give. Since it was founded, Giving Hearts Day has helped participating charities raise more than $138 million. It is the longest-running giving day in the country.
February 14: Who was St. Valentine?
Valentine’s Day presents an opportunity to express feelings of love. Greeting cards and heart-shaped chocolate boxes are traditional gifts, as are red roses. Most people know how and why Valentine’s Day is celebrated, but few may know the person behind the holiday’s name. The Catholic Church recognizes three different martyred individuals with the name Valentine, who each may hold ties to the Valentine’s Day celebration. The name Valentine comes from the Latin “Valentinus,” which means “worthy, strong or powerful.” The name was a common moniker at the time. It is not known just how many Valentines were around in that era, but historians believe there were many. According to the Catholic Education Resource Center, the following three Valentines share February 14th as their feast days. The historical records are sparse, but here’s what is known about these men.
1. One St. Valentine was a priest and physician in Rome. He comforted the martyrs during the persecution of Emperor Claudius II. This Valentine was arrested and condemned to death by beheading for his faith.
2. Another St. Valentine was the Bishop of what is now Terni, located 60 miles from Rome. He also was arrested and beheaded under Emperor Claudius II.
3. The third St. Valentine suffered martyrdom in Africa, but not much else is known about him.
Historians are unsure which Valentine inspired Valentine’s Day or if the day is meant to commemorate each of them. Stories about Valentine and his actions helping the faithful are used interchangeably.
According to Britannica, although the Roman Catholic Church continues to recognize St. Valentine, he was removed from the General Roman Calendar in 1969 because of the lack of reliable information about him. In addition to being the namesake behind Valentine’s Day, he is the patron saint of lovers, epileptics and beekeepers.
