Promoting Blood Donor Awareness Month

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Blood Donor Awareness Month is this January, so now’s the time to start preparing! Whether you’re organizing a blood drive or simply want to help raise awareness about why donating blood is so important, check out our ideas outlined below.

1. Host an American Red Cross blood drive

The American Red Cross offers tons of tips and resources that will come in handy if you choose to organize a blood drive in honor of Blood Donor Awareness Month. According to its website, the American Red Cross will help out a lot during your blood donation drive. A host is expected to offer a good location, recruit donors, publicize the event and create a schedule. But the American Red Cross will do the rest! (This includes bringing equipment, supplies and screening and collecting the donations.)

2. Spread the word

If you don’t have the time or resources to plan a blood drive, why not take the opportunity to spread awareness about donating blood? You can print up flyers and hand them out at the office, in schools and throughout your community. Here are some statistics you might want to include in your promotional materials, courtesy of the American Red Cross:

  • Someone in America needs blood every two seconds.
  • Every day, over 44,000 blood donations are needed.
  • Hospitals most often request Type O blood.
  • Just one car accident victim can require nearly 100 pints of blood.

Custom Printed Magnet - Droplet Shape

3. Hand out giveaways

If you want your Blood Donor Awareness Month message to last a little bit longer, consider giving away promotional products. They’re great for promoting events and bring attention to the issues. Moreover, people will hold onto your giveaways beyond January, making your purchase well worth the money.

How will you take part in Blood Donor Awareness Month?

Wright Brothers Day: Celebrating Flight!

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On December 17, 1903, the Wright brothers – less-commonly known as Orville and Wilbur — were the first people to successfully fly an aircraft. To commemorate the occasion, people across the United States celebrate Wright Brothers Day on that same day each year.

It may sound like a silly national observance, but the Wright brothers’ accomplishment sparked aviation advancements that led to today’s impressive airplanes. Indeed, their efforts paved the way for aeronautics as we know it.

Custom Die Cast Airplane Clock

Ceremonies and activities will take place across America on Wright Brothers Day, including the annual Wright Brothers dinner and celebrations at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, where Orville and Wilbur first flew.

Will you observe Wright Brothers Day this year?

Think Ahead: Healthy Weight Awareness Month

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With the coming of the New Year comes another year of resolutions – a chance to take the bad habits from 2012 and years before and make good on promises to change them.

The number one resolution among American adults last year was to lose weight. Unfortunately, only 46% of those who start the year with a resolution stick with it six months later. What’s worse is that 25% of those who have a resolution on January 1st will see their resolution fizzle out by January 8th.

Perhaps celebrating Healthy Weight Awareness Month in January might not be a bad idea, especially for companies interested in boosting employee morale. Dozens of studies show that losing weight, especially with a group, and driving toward a realistic dietary and exercise goal increases confidence. This confidence can then be translated to improved performance in the office and possibly an increase in 1st quarter profits.

Motivators has plenty of promotional giveaway items for Healthy Weight Awareness Month for every budget.  Be sure to contact our sales team regarding the best item to give away in January.

When is National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day?

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Each year, America’s National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day is recognized on December 7. The purpose of the national observance is to commemorate the attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II.

62nd Pearl Harbor Anniversary

According to an official statement by President Barack Obama, more than 2,400 American military personnel and civilians were killed on December 7, 1941 during the unprovoked Pearl Harbor attack. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families for whom this day is deeply personal—the spouses, brothers and sisters, and sons and daughters who have known seven decades without a loved one but who have kept their legacy alive for future generations,” the president said.

How can you help salute those who fought for our country and raise awareness about National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day?

1. Fly your flag half-mast
2. Hold a memorial service
3. Hand out promotional military products in your community

Think Ahead: Holiday Season

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Despite the constant stream of Christmas music on radio stations and the decorative displays in department stores since October, people still need some reminding when it comes to Hanukkah, Christmas and some of the other major holidays in December.

Christmas
There are 25 shopping days left until Christmas. In order to guarantee that your items come in before that day, be sure to call customer service at Motivators. Chances are you’ll find yourself in the store a few times for friends of friends, co-workers and distant family members. Instead, be sure to take a look at our low minimum gifts for friends and family or other Holiday themed items for employees and clients alike.

Hanukkah
Hanukkah is sneaking up on us. The first night starts December 8 – giving just over a week until the Festival of Lights begins. For those who want to hand out something on the first night, you may want to consider one of our rush order items and might want to speak to someone in our sales force right away to guarantee arrival.

Kwanzaa
Those who celebrate Kwanzaa and want to hand out gifts to either raise awareness of the seven day event or want to celebrate this wondrous day are in luck – Kwanzaa doesn’t start until December 26. We have plenty of items that will get in at that time but getting everything in earlier can put one at ease during this stressful time.

Festivus (for the rest of us)
It’s took an episode of the hit television show Seinfeld to turn this secular holiday into a mainstream phenom. The holiday was created by staff writer Daniel O’Keefe’s father as a way to celebrate his first date with his future wife. In between the Airing of Grievances, meatloaf/spaghetti feast and the Feats of Strength, you may want to consider a promotional product commemorating the event. This event is just shy of Christmas (December 23) so almost any item you order can be available.

Be sure to keep an eye out on your calendar when ordering items and confirm with the Motivators staff that your delivery will be in-hand before your event or holiday. Not all items can be in-hand on the date you want but the Motivators staff will be able to assist you.

 

World AIDS Day: A Growing Awareness Event

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Each year, World AIDS Day takes place on Dec. 1. And this year’s event marks the initiative’s 17th birthday. So how successful has the awareness event been thus far?

One national survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation revealed that young people  ages 15 to 24 have shown an increase in awareness of HIV and AIDS. According to Time, higher risk populations are more likely to ”cite HIV and AIDS as issues of personal concern.” These higher risk groups, which include African American and Latino teens, also agree that HIV is an important issue within their communities.

These statistics tell us that the more we promote AIDS awareness, the more people will care and understand.

Knowing The Facts About AIDS Key Points

However, Time also reports that more than half of young people with HIV don’t know they’ve been infected. How come? A majority of sexually active high school students and young adults have not been tested.

The CDC reports that just 35% of individuals ages 18 to 24 have undergone HIV testing. Even worse, only 13% of high school students report having been tested.

World AIDS Day and other HIV and AIDS awareness initiatives have clearly been successful — to a certain extent. Our hope is that as more people speak honestly about the virus, testing will become more common. “I think there is a lot of hope for this generation. They are motivated to respond and ready to be active about it,” said Kaiser Family Foundation director of health communication and media partnerships and senior vice president Tina Hoff.

How will you help make a difference this year?

National Hand Washing Awareness Week: December 2 – 8

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Flu season is upon us, and everybody’s looking for smart ways to avoid getting sick. But did you know the best way to prevent the spread of disease is frequent hand washing?

That’s what makes National Hand Washing Awareness Week so important. In 2012, the awareness event will take place Dec. 2 – 8. How can you prepare now?

Start by introducing kids to Henry the Hand. The “Champion Handwasher” has written a letter asking children to follow the 4 Principles of Hand Awareness to stay healthy this season.

 They are:

1. Clean your hands, not only when they look dirty, but also whenever you’re about to eat
2. Refrain from coughing directly into your hands
3. Don’t sneeze in your hands
4. Do not touch inside your eyes, nose or mouth

Custom Printed 16-Inch Hands Up Foam Hand

Reiterate Henry’s 4 Principles by handing out National Handwashing Awareness Week giveaways at schools and offices. These simple tools will help both kids and adults understand the facts when it comes to preventing illness.

Remember what Henry the Hand says: “Only you are responsible for giving yourself the flu or flu-like illness!” Take care of yourself during National Handwashing Awareness Week and all year long.

Think Ahead: International Safe Toys and Gifts Month

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With the Holidays around the corner, now is a perfect opportunity to start shopping for those on your list. But even if you adhere to your list, you should check to make sure that what you are getting is safe for the user.

At Motivators, we have icons and features that show whether an item is safe for younger people. When shopping around, be on the lookout for CPSIA-compliant items, BPA-free items and other features that show that your safety is top priority.

You’ll be rest assured that the promotional items we host on our website are used regularly by our knowledgeable employees and that when you hand something out that is BPA-free or CPSIA-compliant, you will adhere to the philosophies of International Safe Toys and Gifts Month.

Today is National Eating Healthy Day!

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Think about what you’ve eaten so far today. Did you make the best food choices possible? If not, now’s the time to turn it around because it’s National Eating Healthy Day!

National Eating Healthy Day is an awareness event that focuses on promoting a well-balanced eating pattern. According to ABC, the initiative “is dedicated to promoting and improving the health and wellness of all Americans.” The American Heart Associated-sponsored event also promotes making simple dietary adjustments to aid in weight loss and improved cardiovascular health.

Small steps like adding more fruits and veggies to your diet, choosing whole-grains and limiting oil use in cooking can make a big difference.

Businesses and organizations can show their support in many different ways. For example, Kenmore Mercy Hospital in Buffalo, N.Y. has vowed to shut down its fryers today to help improve its patients’ diets. According to Buffalo News, the medical center will also offer “more heart-healthy meals for its patients and in its cafeteria.”

Today is National Eating Healthy Day!

But here’s the thing about eating healthy: Doing it just once in a while won’t make a difference. That’s why distributing nutrition handouts is a brilliant idea. Recipients can refer to your giveaways well beyond National Eating Healthy Day, helping them to smart food choices all year long.

Think Ahead: The Holidays

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Although you may have seen decorations before Halloween, Christmas and Hanukkah are both over one month from now. The latter holiday starts at sundown on Saturday, December 8 while Christmas Day falls on a Tuesday.

Although you may feel that you have plenty of time to shop for your promotional giveaway, you’re limited to specific options as each day passes. Did you want to get promotional flash drives with the company’s annual photo slide show installed on each? You’ll have to order those flash drives pretty soon. Many items take 7-10 business days to produce. Want to order 1lb. chocolate bars for your best clients? It’ll take exactly that long. Want something simple like personalized Holiday Cards? You may want to start browsing now.

Motivators does have an exceptional selection of items that can be products between 1-5 business days. Want to surprise your employees (and your customers) with new uniforms for the Holidays? Much of our new Trimark by Leeds items are available with 1 day production. Do you have family members coming for dinner? Why not give them the perfect gift for fireside: the Leeds Fireside 6-in-1 Multi-Game Set.

Start researching our tens of thousands of items today. You will not have to worry about the items getting shipped in time for the Holiday and there will be enough time to check over the imprint and quality of the items.