Today is...

[IceWizard]

05 Apr 2017


Star Trek First Contact Day

Vulcan: Live long and prosper.
Dr. Zefram Cochrane: Thanks.
~ Star Trek: First Contact

Do you consider yourself a real Trekkie? Did you spend your youth trying to Vulcan Nerve Pinch your problems away? Do you have a regulation Star Fleet uniform in your closet and speak Klingon as a second language? Then get your uniform on and prepare to celebrate First Contact! Star Trek First Contact Day is celebrated by fans everywhere, and even if you don’t know Zefram Cochrane from Zac Efron, you’re welcome to join in!

History of Star Trek First Contact Day

There is one day in the history of mankind in the Star Trek universe that stands out above all others, even though it’s only celebrated as a relatively minor holiday. On that day in 2063, the Zefram Cochrane first took a flight at speeds in excess of Warp 1, alerting the Vulcan race to their entrance into the interstellar community and initiating first contact. Some 300 years later it was commemorated as First Contact Day, and the celebration went on from there. Star Trek: First Contact Day commemorates that day in real life, and fans everywhere get together to celebrate the most pivotal moment in Star Trek human history!

First Contact is an important part of a species introduction into the galactic community and is handled very carefully by the extant species of Star Fleet. Generally speaking, they find it beneficial to privately approach the scientists and other intellectuals of the target species with the belief that they’ll be ready to accept the existence of off-world species. The approach is generally timed for when the species is about to enter the galactic community by engaging in their first faster-than-light travel. From that point, they receive an explanation about what the universe outside their solar system is like and are welcomed in.



And




Day of Hope



Every year millions of children around the world are victims of abuse and neglect, and millions more receive preventative assistance to help avoid continuing abuse. Child Help is an organization dedicated to helping provide help to children who are in situations where they are suffering from neglect and abuse. The Day Of Hope is a day to remember these hidden statistics, and to do your part to help those in your community and throughout the world. Abuse comes in many forms, from physical violence, to sexual abuse, to sheer neglect where necessary medical care and food are withheld.

Yvonne Fedderson helped to establish Childhelp as the co-founder and president, and continues to serve in this capacity to this day. She focuses on helping to establish new chapters, auxiliaries, and to help them with their fundraising in their neighborhoods and abroad. She is active in a number of non-profits dedicated to humanitarian aid. She has received awards numbering over 100 from groups such as the National Children’s Alliance’s Champions of Children Award, and the Living Legacy award. She has been nominated multiple times for the Nobel Peace Prize Award.

Sara O’Meara serves with her as the co-founder of the organization, CEO, and Chairman. Along with Yvonne she spends her time developing the organization as the main spokesperson, helping to develop funds and maintaining oversight for the entire organization. Like her partner Yvonne she has received well over 100 awards for the work she does for abused children around the world.

The organization Childhelp has a long history covering over 50 years around the world, using its efforts and programs to help millions of children around the world. It was first established as International Orphans, focusing on assisting the children of American Soldiers and Japanese women in the 60’s. The organization was renamed Children’s Village USA, eventually becoming Childhelp USA before its final transition to just ‘Childhelp’ which it continues to be known as to this day. Childhelp stands today as among the largest of child abuse prevention organizations.

The organization has created the hotline “Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline” which is staffed year round at all hours by professional crisis counselors. The hotline services children at risk by answering cals from them, parents and guardians, and those individuals who believe they may have observed abuse situations in their neighborhood. By networking with thousands of emergency services, social and support resources they are able to provide the appropriate contact information in an air of complete anonymity. All of this is accomplished without any form of government funding.

They combine this by offering treatment to those who have suffered through child abuse through multiple methods. One of their most common are treatment centers located in residential areas, the source of their name ‘Children’s Village’, they provide treatment programs for at-risk children who have been referred to them by the court system. They serve some of the most severely abused and neglected children at these centers by providing therapists, social workers, therapists, and medical professionals.

Celebrate this Day Of Hope by volunteering at your local chapters, finding ways that you can work to help raise awareness of child abuse and how to approach those situations where you suspect it may be occurring. You can also light a five-wicked candle in a prominent place, serving as a symbol of hope to those who are dealing with the trauma of child abuse. Child Abuse is a worldwide problem, and only the efforts of an international village can serve to help protect these most innocent victims.

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April 5 Birthdays




Bette Davis - (1908 - 1989) (81)




Booker T. Washington  - (1856 - 1915) (59)




Gregory Peck - (1916 - 2003) (87)




Krista Allen - 46




Greg Mathis - 57




Allan Clarke - 75




Mike McCready - 51



Colin Powell - 80




Mary Costa - 87




Spencer Tracy - (1900 - 1967) (67)





April 5th

2007: Former Kiss guitarist Mark St. John died of a cerebral hemorrhage. He was 51 years old.

2002: R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck was found not guilty of attacking British Airways staff in an alleged air rage incident which took place on a flight from Seattle to London in April of 2001. U2 frontman Bono was among those who testified in Buck’s defense.

1998: Cozy Powell, drummer for Jeff Beck, Rainbow, Whitesnake and Black Sabbath died in a car accident in Bristol, U.K. He was 50 years old.

1997: Aerosmith debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 Album Chart with Nine Lives which was their second and final album to reach number one in the U.S. where it went on to sell two million copies.

1997: Kiss performed without Peter Criss in Columbus, GA due to severe pains in his arms. Peter’s drum tech Eddie Kanon performed in the Criss cat makeup, “Beth” was removed from the set list and Paul Stanley sang lead on “Black Diamond”.

1992: Kansas recorded their second live album at the Whisky A-Go-Go in Los Angeles, which was released the following July as Live at the Whiskey.

1986: Ozzy Osbourne peaked at number six on the Billboard 200 Album Chart with The Ultimate Sin which was Osbourne’s first top ten album as a solo artist in the U.S.

1980: R.E.M. performed live for the first time at a friend’s birthday party held in a converted Episcopal church in Athens, GA.

1980: Genesis went to number one of the U.K. Album Chart for the first time with Duke, which began a two reek run on top.



Birthdays:

Peter Grant - Manager for Led Zeppelin born in 1935

Allan Clarke - Singer for The Hollies born in 1942

Mike McCready - Guitarist for Pearl Jam born in 1966