Happy Valentine’s Day–February 14

Don’t forget your florists, jewelry stores and candy stores!

SUPER BOWL XLII February 3rd. Contact your local restaurants/bars for this one!

IT’S LEAP YEAR IN 2008! ADD ONE MORE SELLING DAY TO FEBRUARY!

During AMERICAN HEART MONTH , February 1-28. the American Heart Association will focus on women with “Go Red for Women,” an educational movement about women and cardiovascular disease. Know the warning signs of a heart attack. Connect with your local physicians to sponsor and promote regular checkups. Contact your local hospitals and clinics to sponsor seminars for woman and the signs they need to know. Promote nutrition and CPR classes. Don’t forget to remind your clients to help promote Wearing Red on Friday February 1. Conduct a women’s class at local fitness centers with a local doctor. Tie in new membership offers to promote Heart Month. A fitness/exercise equipment retailer is another great way to inform the consumer about the treadmill and bike. Cardiovascular exercise is extremely important. You can contact your local chapter of the American Heart Association for more information. This is a Presidential Proclamation month.

NATIONAL WEAR RED DAY , February 1st. Tie in with AMERICAN HEART MONTH.

WOMEN’S HEART WEEK is February 1-7. Use this week for your fitness centers to focus on special memberships for women.

Contact your vision centers, eye doctors/ ophthalmologists to help sponsor AMD/LOW VISION AWARENESS MONTH , February 1-28. Share the importance of annual eye examinations. Many consumers are not aware of AMD/LOW VISION. Macular degeneration is a leading cause of vision loss. Have your sponsors help disseminate information on the warning signs of this disease. For more information, contact Prevent Blindness America ® at 303-795-9090 .

LIBRARY LOVERS’ MONTH , February 1-28, is a month-long celebration of school, public and private libraries of all types. This is the time for everyone, especially library support groups, to recognize the value of libraries to work to ensure that the nation’s libraries continue to serve. This would be a great time to connect with your local pizzeria and school children in a promotion for the most books read during the month of February. Grand prize–a big pizza party with family and friends! Your local toy stores can help sponsor tours at your local libraries for kids to become acquainted with the features of the library before they attend school for the first time.

Our feathered friends need to be fed and kept warm during the winter season. This is a great time to contact your local pet stores, supermarkets and wild bird stores to sponsor NATIONAL BIRD FEEDING MONTH , February 1-28. Have your sponsors help spread the word on how difficult it can be for birds to survive the North American winters. Providing wild birds with food, water and shelter helps them survive. Put together specials on bird feeders along with a free bag of bird seed. For more information go to www.birdfeeding.org. It is very important to increase dental awareness and to stress the importance of regular dental care for children. During NATIONAL CHILDREN’S DENTAL HEALTH MONTH in February, contact your local children’s dentists to sponsor this worthwhile promotion. If you have a Children’s Museum in your area have them sponsor Children’s Dental Month. Put a show together with that great big tooth to talk about brushing and the foods they should eat! Hand out new toothbrushes for all the kids. I’m sure there is some co-op $$ around for this promo! For more information contact the American Dental Association in Chicago or go to www.ada.org.

Let’s not forget our pet’s teeth during NATIONAL PET DENTAL HEALTH MONTH in February. Contact your local veterinarians to help sponsor this very important promotion. Educate pet owners, especially dog owners about the benefits of dental care and daily brushing. Your local vets can sponsor a program to help teach owners how to brush and what to use. For more information go to www.petdental.com BOW WOW means thank you!

As the “wedding season” gets into high gear, the month of February is NATIONAL WEDDINGS MONTH . This promotion should focus attention on the fact that more than 2.5 million weddings are celebrated in the U.S each year. Get an early start and connect with your florists, jewelry stores, bridal shops, limo services and photography studios. Let’s not forget the caterers. Put together complete wedding packages. And don’t forget the travel agents in your area. And of course, the one and only–the bridal consultant!

NATIONAL PANCAKE WEEK is February 3-9. This is a great time for a fundraiser. With the month of February being Heart Month, charge a nominal entry fee for the contests, proceeds to be donated to a local charity. Have your pancake restaurants/supermarkets sponsor a pancake flipping contest, kind of like an egg toss except use pancakes and spatulas. Let’s not forget the best and original pancake recipe for all ages. Contact your kitchenware stores to donate prizes for the best cook! Contact Bisquick Baking Mix in Minneapolis at 763-764-2470.

Connect with your local Chinese restaurants to help them celebrate CHINESE NEW YEAR , February 7. The year of the Rat begins. The New Year can begin anytime from January 21 through February 21. Create great specials during this time!

The entire month of February is dedicated to BLACK HISTORY MONTH . A special period of time to recognize achievements and contributions by African-Americans. The theme for 2008 is “Carter G. Woodson and the History of Multiculturism.” A great opportunity to connect with your local book stores and help share stories about famous people and great books on black history. Music stores can help promote the great African-American artists from long ago!

NATIONAL CHILI DAY , February 28, is a day to recognize chili as an American staple and to celebrate love for a great bowl of red, especially in the cold winter months! It’s time for a Chili Cook-off. Have your health food or grocery stores sponsor a cook-off for the best vegetarian chili. With or without beans!