1 1

Goodwill Industries, Inc.Serving Eastern Nebraska

& Southwest IowaGoodwillOmaha.org

September2012

Heaping praise on our Contracts department

People don’t have enough nice things to say about our hard-working Contracts employees!

page 4

The Summer of Fifty Six

That’s the number that participated in the Summer Youth Program, gaining valuable work experience!

pages 8-10

oodwill’s new Blair store — our fifteenth overall — has only been open for a few weeks, but already it’s exceeding

expectations and helping break records.

Blair’s first week sales, from the Monday soft opening through the following Saturday, were $39,109, which is more than any other new Goodwill Omaha store has sold in its first six days. And that included four days of business without even advertising that the store was officially open!

“It’s going really well,” said Store Manager Josh Meyer. “The employees are doing well, the

G

opening the doors on number 15

by Neal Obermeyer

continued on page 6

The sun rises over the new Blair store at the ribbon cutting ceremony as Blair Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Harriet Waite addresses the crowd.

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new employeesJuly 2012

Heather Autenrieth Donation Door Attendant Blair

Pamela Bacon Donation Door Attendant Blair

Rachel Bowser Retail Sales Assoc IIBlair

Nicholas Boyce Donation Door Attendant Blair

Stacy BurrDonation Door Attendant Madison Anthony Cartwright Dock Worker IIROC

Maurice Cole Dock Worker IIROC Madelynn Conradson Clothing Proc/Hanger IBlair

Jacob Crawford Donation Door Attendant Harris Center

Tracy DalyCustodianLincoln

Monica Diego Retail Sales Assoc II180th & Q

Jocelyn DolphinRetail Sales Assoc IIBlair

Sandra Dorrance Clothing Proc/Hanger IBlair

Deanna DownenRetail Sales Assoc IIBlair

Joshua EricksonDonation Door Attendant Blair

Linda FlemingClothing Proc/Hanger I Blair

Rockiyath Gbadamassi Clothing Proc/Hanger I180th & Q

Emily GivensClothing Proc/Hanger IBlair

Cathy GoldappClothing Proc/Hanger IBlair

Nicholas Hannagan Retail Sales Assoc IISouthwest

Laura HarrisAdult Career SpecialistBlue Lion Jermario Holmes Dock Worker IIROC

Tawaukee Housley Dock Worker IIROC

Alex Jones Donation Door AttendantBlair

Moses Justin Donation Door Attendant Southwest Letitia Knudsen Clothing Proc/Hanger IBlair

Victoria Lantz Retail Sales Assoc II Blair

Keith LeeDonation Door AttendantBlair

Amanda LehlClothing Proc/Hanger I180th & Q

Brenda Lembke CSD Admin AssistantBenson Park Plaza Gladys Linn Retail Sales Assoc IIPapillion Andrew Livermore Donation Door Attendant Blair

Maria Martinez Retail Sales Assoc IIPapillion

Dillon Meyers Retail Sales Assoc IISouthwest

Rebecca Nestroyl Retail Sales Assoc IIPapillion

Mandi North Retail Sales Assoc IIMadison Bisharo Omar Clothing Proc/Hanger IWest Center Danna Pickell Retail Sales Assoc IIBlair

Ronald Pieken Donation Door AttendantMadison

Haley Pierce Clothing Proc/Hanger IBlair

Jennifer Salsbury Work Experience TrainerBlair

David SextonGrounds Maintenance WorkerGrand Island Cari Shepard Retail Sales Assoc IIBlair Alexis Smith Retail Sales Assoc IIBlair

Ashlie Socha Clothing Proc/Hanger IBlair

Jayney Solotorovsky ReceptionistBenson Park Plaza

Ashley Studanski Clothing Proc/Hanger IBlair

Patricia SullivanRetail Sales Assoc IIBlair

Erin Swanson Director Of Planned GivingBPP

Christopher Vacanti CustodianOffutt

Christopher Wair Donation Door Attendant 156th & Maple

Kaitlyn Washburn Retail Sales Assoc II156th & Maple

Jeremy WeaverDonation Door Attendant Southwest

Fred Wright Retail Sales Assoc IIBlair

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1 Richard Preston CDL Driver ROC1 Paul Staley, III Retail Sales Associate II Bellevue2 Gonzalo Vazquez WearHouse Associate ROC3 Laura Rohwer Retail Store Manager 180th & Q3 Eric Rentschler Custodian Offutt4 Steven Myers Custodian Offutt7 Alison Wheat Clothing Proc/Hanger I West Center7 Alexis Smith Retail Sales Associate II Blair7 Maurice Cole Dock Worker II ROC8 Anthony Bates Custodian Offutt9 Gordon Scheet Information Tech Director Benson Park Plaza9 Rose Plantikow Computer RSA II ROC10 Joshua Meyer Retail Store Manager Blair13 Kristin Koopman Business Development Coor Benson Park Plaza13 Crystal Bothel Retail Sales Assoc III 180th & Q13 Paula Hunt Custodian Stratcom13 Michael Baker Retail Floor Care Spec. ROC14 Tiffany Drieling Lead Youth Career Spec. Blue Lion15 Leonor Gonzalez Garcia Clothing Proc/Hanger I Southwest15 Timothy Suelter Career Center Manager Blue Lion15 Jessica Walker Clothing Proc/Hanger I Blair16 Tyrone Washington Donation Door Attendant 78th & Dodge16 Clifton Johnson GrndsMaintWorker-Offsite ROC17 Rebecca Nestroyl Retail Sales Associate II Papillion18 Kyrie Lynch WearHouse Associate ROC18 Howard Church, Jr. Trailer Attendant ROC19 Jeremy Dolezal Custodian Stratcom19 Kevin Fehderau Network Administrator Benson Park Plaza19 Michelle Peterson Clothing Proc/Hanger I 78th & Dodge21 William Guzman Donation Door Attendant Papillion23 Elba Escobar Production Supervisor Southwest23 Christopher Casey Work Experience Trainer 156th & Maple24 Natalie Hays Retail Sales Assoc III Madison24 Jessica Schupp Retail Sales Associate II Bellevue24 Nicholas Hannagan Retail Sales Associate II Southwest26 Cynthia Hartman-Splear Project Manager Lincoln27 Dasha Gatrost Follow-Up Spec-Adult/DLW Blue Lion28 Kendall Bricko Assistant Store Manager 156th & Maple29 Timothy Schlosser CDL Driver ROC29 Jeffrey Faust Donation Door Attendant Southwest29 Kaitlyn Washburn Retail Sales Associate II 156th & Maple30 Cecilia Marroquin Clothing Proc/Hanger I Bellevue

happy birthdaySeptember 2012

The Clothes Line PUBLISHER: Frank McGreeEDITOR IN CHIEF: Rita Hamele CrumMANAGING EDITOR: Neal ObermeyerSTAFF WRITERs: Brent Koster, Erin Burke, Kristin Koopman, Kris Pachunka and Elizabeth DonnerFAN CLUB PRESIDENT: Justin Dougherty

The Clothes Line is published monthly and is available at each Town Hall meeting. If you are unable to attend Town Hall, you may also find copies in the Marketing area at BPP, or request to have a copy delivered to you by calling 402.231.1915.

You may also find Clothes Line articles and full-issue digital downloads on the GoodTimes Blog at http://www.goodwillomaha.org/blog.

september 2012

4

ur contracts department received some well-deserved recognition this

past month, as several of our employees received praise from the people they serve.

John Lowry III, a policies and training contractor who works in the National & Nuclear Systems area at Offutt Air Force Base, recently wrote this letter to Pearl Wilder, who manages our AbilityOne custodial operations there:

Ms. Wilder,Please pass on to your

Goodwill Team members my thanks for their continuing excellent performance of their duties here in the Headquarters.

Their initiative, attention to detail, reliability, thoroughness and friendliness are constant, and deserving of recognition.

Also deserving of recognition are those who train, mentor and manage the Goodwill Team members.

All have contributed measurably to providing a pleasant, healthy and

professional environment in a challenging, high density facility.

BRAVO! Well Done to All.John S. Lowry III

***

Meanwhile, over in Lincoln, children at the Denney Building’s daycare facilities made cards to thank Custodian Steve Hennessy for always doing such a great job of cleaning their classrooms.

As one of the children wrote, “Thank you, Steve, for all that you do for us! We greatly appreciate it!”

“Steve truly loves his job, and the tenants all adore him,” said Custodial Contract Manager Cyndi Hartman. “Goodwill and his tenants have become his daytime family, and he clearly is proud to work for our company.”

Steve has been working for Goodwill since 1979. He grew up in a congregate care facility, and for many years didn’t even realize he had a brother and sister. He moved into a group home at 18 and then he and a friend moved

into an apartment where he still lives today. In 1983, he was voted the Most Inspirational Athlete at the Nebraska Special Olympics.

“Through the power of work, he is completely self-sustaining,” Cyndi said.

There’s a reason Goodwill’s Federal contracts are synonymous with amazing work and exceptional customer service — it’s because of people like Pearl, her crew and Steve.

Thanks for all you do!

O

july Store of the Month:

Southwest!Congrats to Brenda, Zach and the Southwest staff for a great month! They have ended the month with total sales of $162,468.40, which is 21.08% over budget

and 57.54% above last year!

Steve Hennessy with his handmade cards from the children at the daycare.

the wonderful world of contractsby Neal Obermeyer

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nyone who has ever been involved in the Summer Youth Employment

Program knows it is a huge undertaking. Lots of kids, lots of jobs, and lots to be accounted for.

Sherri Kallon sure stepped up to the Summer Youth plate this year. Even after Sherri helped organize this year’s Summer Youth Program and found worksites for the participants, she took extra time to visit all of her participants at their sites, often staying well past her regular office hours.

In addition to handling her Summer Youth responsibilities, Sherri spent a whole Saturday connecting with her clients, their families, and others in our community at World Refugee Day in Omaha. The event draws thousands of people to Benson High School, and it is a blessing to have someone like Sherri representing Goodwill.

Sherri has been employed as a youth career specialist since April 2011. Her supervisor, Dylan Malone, says that she embodies Goodwill’s values in every way. She makes sure all of her clients are taken care of, and strives for one hundred percent on all of her reports.

People like Sherri don’t just make the Summer Youth Program work; they make the Goodwill mission work.

Congratulations to our July Employee of the Month!

(And turn to page 8 to read more about the 2012 Summer Youth Program!)

A

WIA Youth Services Coordinator Dylan Malone (right) heaps praise on Sherri Kallon, your July Employee of the Month!

employee of the month: Julyby Erin Burke

july 2012* Shari Albert * * Brent Koster *

Contact HR to nominate aGoodwill employee for a

Star Award!

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blair is off to a great startby Neal Obermeyer

staff is catching on, sales have been good, donations have been good — everything’s going really well so far.”

The store hosted an open house reception on the eve of the ribbon cutting, allowing community leaders, Goodwill board members and other friends of the agency to get a sneak peek at the store and meet the new staff.

The following morning, more than 100 people gathered for the ribbon cutting and grand opening ceremony.

Chief Operating Officer Randy Parks opened the ceremony by thanking the hard work of Goodwill’s partners in making the store opening possible. Board Chairman Liz Mazzotta, Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Harriet Waite and Mayor James Realph also shared their excitement about Goodwill’s arrival into Blair.

Then Meyer did the ribbon-cutting honors, and grand opening weekend began!

Meyer said the traffic that first weekend was incredible, with a good mix of people from Blair and other surrounding communities.

“We had around 400 customers Friday and Saturday each, and that’s just tickets ringing through the register,” he said.

That’s not counting folks who just stopped in to browse or enjoy the grand opening activities, he added.

Regional Manager Janelle Ellis said the staff handed out 300 hot dogs Friday and Saturday, plus pop and chips.

Meyer said the highlights were the fire department visit on Saturday and the radio remote with 103.7 KXKT-FM.

“Having the radio station here was a lot of fun, and people enjoyed seeing that,” he said.

The amazing first weekend helped the retail department set a new single-day sales record, breaking the previous record of $69,723 from March 3 with a massive $77,418.

Ellis said

the staff has been able to hit the ground running thanks to training them in the stores beforehand. Previously, such as with 78th & Dodge, some staff were trained in stores, but others prepared at the ROC.

“I think we’ve really fine-tuned the training,” she said. “It is very structured, so that when they get in the stores, they’re very familiar with everything.”

In addition to providing training grounds for the new employees, the other store managers also helped greatly with store setup, the grand opening and management support during the first two weeks the store is open. This allowed the store to get off to a great start.

“They’re doing a great job,” Ellis said. “It’s been a huge success!”

continued from page 1

Retail Sales Associate Rachel Bowser exchanges currency and smiles at the grand opening celebration.

156th & Maple Assistant Manager Kendall Bricko dressed as a clown and entertained children during the grand opening party.

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here’s been exciting growth in Goodwill’s Work Experience Program!

With the addition of the Blair store, a new training site was added to expand the program to six locations. We now stretch from Blair to Bellevue, from Fremont to Council Bluffs, and from 156 & Ruggles to the ROC. We’ve also added three new trainers to our team of seven. Christine Dougherty returned to the Work Experience Program as a trainer at the ROC, Sam Comfort joined the Council Bluffs / Madison team as a trainer, and Jenny Salsbury is the new trainer in Blair.

We quickly moved focus from hiring of new staff to preparing for the students’ arrival. The school year has begun and all of the Work Experience sites have started putting students to work. Currently, Work Experience trainers are handling referrals from 14 different school districts and almost 80 students.

For those of you who don’t know, the Work Experience Program is the oldest program within our Goodwill. Started in 1965, the Work Experience Program provides hands-on training in a competitive employment setting for high school aged students with disabilities.

Participants involved in this program have opportunities to work in retail, production, clerical, custodial and commercial

contracts areas, rotating to various jobs throughout their school year. Work Experience participants are paid minimum wage while in the program.

The retail arm of Goodwill provides valuable assistance by supporting the program, with staff working side-by-side students to demonstrate tasks, as well as providing good work role models.

Work Experience trainers develop individualized work goals for each student (like staying on task, following directions, or productivity). In addition, trainers conduct weekly “staff meetings” with students in order to learn such important work related topics as customer service, attendance, time management, social interaction, stress, anger management, and conflict

resolution. The participants are also

given the opportunity to practice filling out job applications, work on interviewing skills, practice disclosing their disability to an employer, as well as learn about self-advocacy and asking for accommodations. These are all crucial skills to learn for their futures.

The Work Experience Program is an awesome opportunity for students not necessarily on an academic path to still earn school credits, gain a work history, and learn appropriate work skills.

Work Experience is proud to be an active promoter of Goodwill’s mission. We hope you take a minute to meet some of the students. They will make your day!

T

work experience expands!by Holly Schwietz

New Work Experience trainers (L-R): Christine Dougherty (ROC), Sam Comfort (Council Bluffs) and Jenny Salsbury (Blair).

8

ike many college freshmen going into political science, Kenneth Cotton had ideas

and ambition, but he didn’t have a lot of experience in the world of policy or business. But now, after a summer with the Sarpy County Chamber of Commerce, Kenneth finds himself with a first-hand understanding of how policy affects the business community — experience that will directly benefit him as he pursues his career path.

Kenneth is one of 56 young people who took part in the Partnership Summer Youth Program. Participants held summer jobs at 26 worksites across the metro, wrapping up

earlier in August.Kenneth will be studying

political science at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, so Career Specialist Byron Olsen tried to find him a politically related position. Program funds can’t be used for political campaigns, understandably, so Olsen found him a position with the Sarpy County Chamber.

Kenneth was able to help with what he described as “normal office things,” plus outreach functions like ribbon cuttings and helping with a golf tournament sponsored by the Chamber. But what he really enjoyed were the eye-opening experiences of meeting the businesses the

Chamber works with.“Just about every

single day, one of the staff would go out to check up on one of the member businesses, and I got to follow them to those meetings,” he said. “I got to meet all kinds of people and really connect with different parts of the business community.”

Kenneth said the experience was extremely valuable for his career goals, whether they be in politics or law.

“If I’m a lawyer or a politician, either way I’m going to have to deal with someone in the business community, either trying to

rejuvenate an economic situation or trying to pass policy,” he said. “Until I had this internship, I really had no idea how these businesses worked.

“What I learned was that all these businesses rely on each other for help, and everyone’s connected,” he said. “So in my field, if I were to make one policy that I think is going to affect one industry, it’ll actually affect a lot of others because of how everyone is connected.”

Kenneth said he was grateful for the program and his particular placement, and he hopes he has an opportunity to rejoin the Chamber next summer. The Sarpy County Chamber of Commerce posted a tribute to Kenneth on their Facebook page at the end of the summer, saying “We congratulate him on a job well done and wish him well as he embarks off to his first year at UNO.”

Another participant, James McCormick, is studying to be a mechanical engineer at the University of Missouri, so Olsen worked with Kiewit Engineering Company to get James placed with one of their new engineers.

James learned to use Kiewit’s computer applications, and he helped develop estimates on projects. He also had the opportunity to participate in a presentation on an actual project. James said he gained valuable

you can learn a lot in a summerby Neal Obermeyer

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Kenneth Cotton’s summer job gave him valuable insight into his possible career paths. continued on page 10

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the summer youth program in photos

Summer Youth Program participants at work (clockwise from top left): Chris Gladbach at the Bellevue Goodwill store; Thomas Flott at Michaels; Laura Edwards at Warm Hearts Learning Center; Matthew Knoll at Gifford Farm; Michael Knoll at the Bellevue Goodwill store; Michael Shank at Stella’s.

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experience on learning to be a team player, as he worked alongside other employees and interns.

“The employees there taught me a lot about what it really means to have a job in the career field I want to go into,” James said. “It made me feel like I was going into the right field for me.”

Olsen said that James impressed Kiewit so much that they asked he keep in touch for possible future internship opportunities. James hopes to apply to work with the company in an internship capacity again next summer.

Dozens of other young people were able to gain valuable work experience with summer positions as part of the program while also helping provide valuable services to the community.

Unique Carroll, a senior at North, worked at Family Housing Advisory Services where she organized outreach events, helped with classes for new homeowners and more.

Baw Bat and Lay Htoo are both seniors at Omaha South, and both spent their summer working at the Southern Sudan Community Association where they taught English to elders in their community.

Several of the students transitioned their summer experience into ongoing employment. Ascension Sanchez, a freshman at Iowa Western Community college, was hired on permanently there after working as an office clerk this summer. Carlos Ramos, a freshman business major at Metropolitan Community College, is now working part time cleaning vehicles for Metro Area Transit after working there this summer.

Congratulations to all the Partnership participants for a great summer, and a big thanks to all of the staff and community partners for making it such a success.

James McCormick’s summer work helped him better understand the responsibilities he’ll experience as a mechanical engineer.

GoodBytes hits a milestone

ongratulations to James Coggins and the GoodBytes crew, as

they prepared their 5,000th refurbished computer for purchase!

“I just wanted to thank everyone for the donations and the hard work on the part of my staff,” he said.

C

Behold! The 5000th GoodBytes computer! You can have this fully-functioning collectible for $129 (and it comes with Windows 7 pre-installed!).

continued from page 8

summer youth (continued)by Neal Obermeyer

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riathlons are a big deal for anyone who attempts to try them. And that was certainly

the case for Goodwill’s very own Megan Sharpe, Customer Connect business outreach specialist. But her story has a twist — Megan had been through her own challenges with a kidney transplant in 2010 and a pancreas transplant in 2011.

The Matt Mason Memorial “Cowboy UP!” Triathlon was August 5th in Smithville, Missouri. Megan finished the race in 1 hour and 59 minutes with her aunt — who donated her kidney to Megan two years earlier — cheering her on.

Megan’s decision to

participate in a triathlon came out of college friendships. Matt Mason was married to one of

Megan’s sorority sisters at Northwest Missouri State University and served as a Navy SEAL.

The Matt Mason Memorial “Cowboy UP!” Triathlon was established after Matt was killed in 2011 on a mission in Afghanistan.

The triathlon honors, supports and celebrate the lives of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

There were even signs at the race showing Megan’s

kidneys participating in all three events – swimming, biking and running!

The exciting news is this is not the only triathlon that Megan will be competing in this year. Megan and about 50 other friends made the commitment to not only participate and honor Matt in the August event, but also committed to run the Nations Tri Triathlon in Washington, D.C. on September 9th.

When asked why she decided to participate in triathlons, Megan said because she never could before. Megan said that she is healthier than ever and had the support of her friend to train with her.

Megan’s advice to anyone who wants to run triathlons is this: “Don’t look how far you have to go. Look how far you’ve come!”

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looking sharp, megan!by Elizabeth Donner

Megan with the sign showing “A Kidney for each event.”

Megan crosses the finish line at the triathlon.

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i everyone – Elizabeth Donner here! I wanted to share with you some

exciting news going on in my little corner of the world.

Part of my new role as Community Development Coordinator involves fostering community partnerships and outreach efforts for Goodwill.

While I am out daily networking with businesses and non-profits, I can’t do it all on my own. I need all of us in the Goodwill family to work towards this effort! Building stronger partnerships allows us to work towards Goodwill’s vision of eliminating unemployment and creating a stronger community.

Each month I will be providing you with a list of events that are going on in the community.

But of course, this list won’t

cover all the activities in the Metro Area. Please feel free to contact me if you are interested in getting involved with an event or organization and need assistance to make the first move. I am here to help!

September is full of some great events that we can be involved in: • The Blair retail store will

be hosting a Flag Pole Ceremony September 11th at noon. Come and help congratulate the Blair team on their new opening.

• Goodwill’s Annual Younkers Drive will be taking place from September 12-29. Let your family and friends know that they can drop off Goodwill donations at Younkers stores and receive coupons for Younkers

purchases. Plus contact Marketing if you’d be interested in volunteering on this drive!

• The Western Douglas County Chamber is having a Business Expo on September 27th. Come visit over 40 business exhibitors and network with chamber members. The expo event is free.

• Lastly, Goodwill’s annual company picnic will be September 30th at the Bellevue Berry Farm! You can find a registration form in this issue.

We will also be including all of these events and more on the calendar that you can find each month on the back cover of The Clothes Line, so check it out and get involved.

community connectionsby Elizabeth Donner

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Perfect Attendance Word Search!

These folks all celebrated years of perfect attendance this month! It may be a challenge to find their names in this puzzle, but you can always find them hard at work!

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happy anniversarySeptember 2012

27 YearsTerri GibiliscoClothing Proc/Hanger IIWest Center

23 YearsRoosevelt JacksonBaler Team Leader ROC

19 YearsLynell HattenCustodianZorinsky

16 YearsLoutissia YarbroughAsst. Custodial Supv. Zorinsky

13 YearsPhuong NguyenRetail Prod Worker I ROC

12 YearsRita Hamele CrumMarketing Director Benson Park Plaza

Christine PuyearCustodianStratcom

7 YearsKenneth BarkerRecycling Manager ROC

Jeffrey BloesDatabase Manager Benson Park Plaza

Daniel O’LearyCustodianStratcom

6 YearsJanelle EllisDistrict Store Manager ROC

Brent JanzenEducation Specialist Blue Lion

5 YearsBrigid AllisonRetail Sales Assoc III West Center

Lori BellClothing Proc/Hanger IIFremont

4 YearsSteven BancerowskiCustodianStratcom

Napoleon DrakefordCustodianZorinsky

Nicolas LeFloreDonation Door Attendant Benson Park Store

3 YearsDaniel BorgailaP Maint Coord/Safety InsROC

Joshua MeyerRetail Store Manager Blair

Antonio PanoCustodianLincoln

2 YearsStanley CallanDatabase Support SpecBenson Park Plaza

Josie CrockettRetail Sales Associate IISouthwest

Rose PlantikowComputer RSA IIROC

Bradley SlipsagerCustodianStratcom

Kristina VassarCustodianOffutt

Nicholas Wilkinson CustodianOffutt

1 YearNorman BarnesYouthBuild Construction TrainerBenson Park Plaza

Kayleigh ButlerRetail Sales Associate IIBenson Park Store

Jasmine FriersonShopGoodwill Gen. ClerkROC

Elizabeth GordonClothing Proc/Hanger IBenson Park Store

Patrick HarderDonation Door AttendantBenson Park Store

John HermanCustodianLincoln

Caprice HollisRetail Sales Assoc III Harris Center

Sabrina Sayavong Wearhouse Associate II ROC

1410 Hanging employment barriers out to dry. 14Hanging employment barriers out to dry. 12

Multicultural Calendar Highlights

August 1 – National Day: Switzerland This holiday commemorates the founding in 1291 of the Swiss Confederation.

August 3 – Civic and Provincial Holidays: Canada The provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince

Edward Island, and Saskatchewan, and Nunavut and the Northwest Territories all have civic holidays on the first Monday in August.

Emancipation Day: Bahamas This day commemorates the emancipation of British slaves in 1834.

August 4 – National Day: Burkina Faso On this day in 1984, the Republic of Upper Volta was renamed Burkina Faso in a symbolic rejection of the nation’s

colonial past. The name Burkina Faso means “the land of the honest men” or “country of the incorruptibles.”

August 6 – Independence Day: Bolivia Conquered for Spain in the sixteenth century by Gonzalo and Hernando Pizarro, Bolivia became part of the general

war for independence from Spain led by Simón Bolívar.

Independence Day: Jamaica After centuries of British rule, Jamaica achieved its independence on this day in 1962.

August 7 – Battle of Boyacá: Columbia This holiday commemorates the decisive battle of 1819 led by Simón Bolívar in Columbia’s war of independence

from Spain.

August 9 – National Day: Singapore Populated by Indians, Chinese, and Malays, Singapore became independent from Malaysia in 1965.

August 10 – Pueblo Revolt (1680): American Indian On this date the Pueblo peoples of the colony of New Mexico rose in revolt against the Spanish friars,

soldiers, and colonists who had seized their lands, enslaved them, and forced them to renounce their ancestral gods.

Independence Day: Ecuador On August 10, 1809, the first proclamation of independence from Spain was heard in Quito.

Women’s Day Observed: South Africa This marks the day of the 1956 march of women in Pretoria to protest the system of passes needed to travel from one

part of the country to another.

August 12 – Birthday of Queen Sirkit: Thailand This holiday celebrates the Queen’s birthday and is also recognized as National Mother’s Day.

August 14 – Independence Day: Pakistan After a 60-year formal and generally unarmed struggle for independence from the British Empire, Pakistan came

into existence at the stroke of midnight on August 14-15, 1947.

Reunification Day: Morocco Reunification Day celebrates Morocco’s declaration of unity with the Western Sahara in 1979.

August 15 – Anniversary of the Founding of Panama City: Panama The anniversary of the opening of the Panama Canal to inter-oceanic traffic on August

15, 1914.

Independence Day: India This marks the day in 1947 that India became a self-governing country within the British Commonwealth. This was one of the critical

steps that led to full independence in 1950.

Liberation Day: North Korea This commemorates the surrender of Japan in 1945, ending World War II and the Japanese occupation of Korea.

Liberation Day: South Korea This day marks both the Japanese surrender in 1945 ending the Japanese occupation and the creation in 1948 of an

independent South Korean government.

National Acadian Day: Canada This day has been celebrated since 1881 and was officially recognized by an act of Parliament in 2003 to recognize Acadians,

French colonists who built the first European settlement in North America in 1604. During the French and Indian War of 1755, Acadians were forced to swear

by loyalty to the British crown. However, doubtful of their loyalty, England deported or imprisoned both those Acadians who swore allegiance and those who

refused-some were exiled to France or England, some fled to colonies farther south, later returning to Acadia and settling in southeastern New Brunswick, while

others were expelled to the American colonies. Several thousand Acadians went to Louisiana, a former French colony. Their descendants are known as Cajuns,

from the French word for Acadian. The state of Louisiana celebrates its own Acadian Day every year on the day after Thanksgiving.

National Mourning Day: Bangladesh This day commemorates the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahaman (1920-1975) by a military coup on August 15,

1975.

August 16 – Restoration Day: Dominican Republic This commemorates the proclamation of the liberation of the Dominican Republic from Spain on this day

in 1863.

August 17 – Death of General José de San Martin observed: Argentina National observance of the death of General José de San Martín.

Independence Day: Indonesia Nationalists declared Indonesia an independent nation after the withdrawal of the Japanese in 1949. The Netherlands, which

had ruled Indonesia, ceded sovereignty to an independent government on this day. I

August 20 – Constitution Day: Hungary This day commemorates the adoption of the first Hungarian constitution in 1920.

Independence Day: Senegal This day marks the Senegal’s achieving complete independence after the dissolution of its federation with Mali in 1960.

Revolution Day: Morocco This day commemorates the beginning of the 1953 “Revolution of the King and the People” against the French occupation, when

King Muhammad V was exiled to Corsica with his family for advocating a revolutionary struggle for Moroccan independence. King Muhammad returned from

exile in 1955 and successfully negotiated with France for the independence of Morocco. In 1956 Morocco became an independent kingdom.

August 21 – King Muhammad’s Birthday: Morocco The birthday of King VI is a public holiday in Morocco.

August 24 – Independence Day: Ukraine This day commemorates the Ukraine’s gaining independence from the former Soviet Union in 1991.

August 26 – Seventh Night (Ch’i-hsi): China Seventh Night (Ch’i-hsi), or Weaving Maid and Herd Boy Festival, is a romantic festival based on a tale of a

couple who disobeyed the chief deity and are, therefore, held in the sky as stars on either side of the Milky Way.

Women’s Equality Day: United States A law passed by congress in 1974 sets this day aside to mark the certification in 1920 of the 19th Amendment to the

Constitution prohibiting discrimination in voting based on sex.

August 30 – National Heroes Day: Philippines this national holiday honors all the heroes of the Philippines, from famous heroes such as José Rizal, Andres

Bonifacio, and Emilio Aguinaldo to those heroes whose names are forever lost to history.

Victory Day: Turkey This holiday commemorates the end of the war of independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1922.

August 31 – National Day: Malaysia This marks the day Malaysia achieved independence from Great Britain in 1957.

August 2009

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September 2009 Multicultural Calendar HighlightsNational Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15-October 15September 2 – Independence Day: Vietnam This marks the day in 1945 of the surrender of Japan, ending World War II, and the creation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.September 6 – Defense of Pakistan Day: Pakistan This day is celebrated to commemorate the military’s role in defense of the nation, and especially the successful defense of Pakistan in its war with India in 1965.September 7 - Independence Day: Brazil Unlike the other areas of South America, the region now known as Brazil was colonized by the Portuguese in 1500 led by the explorer Pedro Alvares Cabral. On this day in 1822, the son of Portugal’s king, and regent of Brazil, declared Brazil independent of Portugal.Labor Day: Canada and the United States This day is celebrated as a public holiday in the United States and Canada to honor all working people. In most other countries, this celebration occurs on May 1.National Unity Day (Reconciliation Day): Chile This has replaced the former holiday commemorating the military coup on September 11, 1973 the toppled Salvador Allende and brought dictator Augusto Pinochet to power. Confucius’ Death: People’s Republic of China Celebrated on the anniversary of his death in China.September 11 – Patriot Day: United States On September 11, 2001, the United States suffered the worst terrorist attack in its history when a group of terrorists belonging to the militant Islamic al-Qaeda network hijacked four commercial airliners, crashing one into each of the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, one into the Pentagon just outside of Washington, D.C., and one into a field in Pennsylvania in an aborted attempt to crash the White House or U.S. Capitol building. New Year (Enqutatash): Ethiopia and Rastafarian This begins the new year 2002 in Ethiopia, according to the Julian calendar. September 15 - Independence Day: Central American nations This commemorates the declaration of independence from Spain of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua in 1821.September 16 - Independence Day (El Día de Independencia): Mexico On September 16, 1810, in the small town of Dolores, in the province of Guanajuato in Mexico, a handful of people were summoned by a parish priest to take up arms against the Spanish colonial government. To this day, the church bell that was used to call people to revolt hangs in the National Palace in Mexico City and is rung on the eve of September 16.September 18 - Independence Day: Chile This holiday celebrates the proclamation of independence from Spain on September 18, 1810, although Chile would not earn total independence until 1818.September 19 – Armed Forces Day: Chile This day honors Chile’s armed forces and is observed with military and naval presentations celebrating the victories over the Spanish forces led by Chile’s national hero, Bernardo O’Higgins, and José de San Martín.September 21 – Independence Day: Armenia This celebrates Armenia’s reestablishment as a free republic after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Respect for the Aged Day (Keiro No Hi): Japan This is a day for paying respect to the aged and celebrating their longevity.September 23 – Autumnal Equinox Day (Shubun No Hi): Japan This is a public holiday to celebrate the end of summer and the beginning of the fall harvest season. Grito de Lares (1868): Puerto Rico This day is commemorated in Puerto Rico as the anniversary of the uprising that initiated the movement for Puerto Rican independence. Unification of the Kingdom: Saudi Arabia Since the end of the seventh century, Saudi Arabia was a collection of separate kingdoms. In 1932, however, King Saud began unifying these kingdoms under his rule into the single nation of Saudi Arabia.September 24 – Heritage Day: South Africa This day is set aside to reinforce the importance of African culture and heritage in the lives of South African people, recognizing that they are powerful agents for promulgating a South African identity, fostering reconciliation, and celebrating diversity. September 25 - Cabrillo Day: Portugal This holiday, celebrated most commonly by Portuguese on the West Coast, commemorates the discovery of California by Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo when he sailed into the harbor of what is now San Diego in 1542.September 27 – French Community Holiday (Wallonia): This day commemorates the limited autonomy granted to the community in 1980.September 28 – Confucius’ Birthday (Teacher’s Day): Republic of China (Taiwan) This day celebrates the anniversary of the birth of Confucius (551-479 B.C.E.), the founder of the main doctrines of Chinese philosophy. “Confucius” is a Latin version of his title K’ung fu-tzu, meaning “Master K’ung.” Confucius is a revered by all Chinese as the “Teaches of All Generations.” Colorful rites are performed at all Confucian templates on this day.

diversity calendarSeptember

diversity calendarSeptember

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diversity calendarSeptember

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