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October, Raptor Awareness Month, is a time to celebrate, learn about, and promote the protection of birds of prey. Raptors—such as hawks, eagles, falcons, owls, and vultures—are known for their keen eyesight, sharp talons, powerful beaks, and soaring flight. 

Raptors are vital to maintaining healthy ecosystems. As birds of prey they help with controlling populations of smaller animals like rodents, birds, and even insects, preventing overpopulation and resource depletion. They also can serve as indicators of ecosystem health, with declines in their numbers signaling environmental issues like pollution or habitat loss. Scavenging raptors, such as vultures, help clean up the environment by feeding on carrion, preventing the spread of disease and promoting faster decomposition. Other raptors can help farmers by naturally controlling rodent pest populations, reducing the need for harmful pesticides. Additionally, they hold cultural and spiritual significance for many.

Despite their importance, many raptor species are in danger due to various human-induced threats. Habitat loss from deforestation, urbanization, and agricultural expansion reduces their hunting and nesting areas. Pesticides, particularly those that accumulate in the food chain, can poison raptors, leading to health and reproductive issues and even death. Collisions with human-made structures like power lines, wind turbines, and vehicles also pose risks. Illegal hunting and the capture of raptors for the pet trade further endanger these birds. Climate change is another growing threat, altering habitats and affecting prey availability.

Raptor Awareness Month is an opportunity to take action and protect these vital birds. Conservation efforts, including habitat restoration, banning harmful pesticides, and supporting raptor rehabilitation centers, are essential to their survival. Educating the public about raptors’ ecological importance can foster greater appreciation and encourage responsible actions to safeguard their future. For more information on raptors, please visit the book display on the fourth floor of the Library. 

Begun in 2009 by Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, John Hope Bryant, and Pekka Himanen, Global Dignity Day seeks to move beyond what divides the world in order to recognize every person’s inherent value and humanity. It began with a small workshop in Switzerland and has since grown into a global initiative with participants from over 80 countries, reaching more than 3 million people through events, workshops, and learning experiences​.

Global Dignity Day promotes the idea that dignity is both an inherent quality but also a shared responsibility. Dignity is a universal human right that transcends borders, cultures, and religions. We each deserve to be treated respectfully, and we also have the duty to uphold the dignity of others. On Global Dignity Day, events across the world encourage people to explore and express what dignity means to them. They create opportunities for individuals to share their personal stories of dignity, reflect on how their actions affect others, and commit to making positive changes in their own lives and communities. Global Dignity Day is not only a celebration of human worth but also a call to action for people to contribute to a more inclusive and respectful world.

To learn more about human dignity, please visit the book display on the third floor of the Library. 

For this week’s blog on Brain Health Awareness Week, we welcome guest writer, Italee Castellon, Loras College Counselor. In addition to the great events discussed below, be sure to visit the book display on the Library’s main floor.

In 1990, after urging by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Congress passed a joint resolution to make the first full week in October Mental Illness Awareness Week. This week also encompasses  World Mental Health Day, on October 10. At Loras we celebrate this week as “Brain Health Awareness Week” since mental health is inherently brain health. Our brain is an incredibly powerful organ that is in control of so many important features of the body and self, including how we think, move, behave, experience sensations, and overall well-being. Everything that the brain is responsible for – mental and physical – is a part of brain health.

Being able to maintain good brain health is essential to overall wellness. Brain health conditions and mental health diagnoses are common, manageable, and treatable. According to Mental Health America’s 2024 Outreach Toolkit, 1 in 5 people will experience a mental health condition in any given year and about half of Americans will meet the criteria for a diagnosable mental health condition sometime in their lives. Many times, the symptoms begin to appear after the age of fourteen and especially pop up in late adolescence or early adulthood. 

The focus of Brain Health Awareness Week at Loras is education on brain health, encouraging and enabling people with healthy coping strategies, and contributing to destigmatization in the community. The public’s knowledge and understanding of brain health has moved in a more positive direction over the last 20 years; it is our duty to continue the spread the kindness, hope, and understanding for all Duhawks. Here are just some of the events that you are invited to participate in during this week:

• Vision Board Night (October 8, 6-8 pm, MARC 3^rd Floor Commons): Join the Art Club and Counseling Center for a night of creativity as you get the opportunity to bring your personal vision board to life! 
• Brain Health Screening (October 9, 1-3pm, ACC Health Center Lobby): Drop in and meet individually with a Loras counselor for a free and confidential 10-minute brain health screening. Similar to a physical wellness check, this brief mental wellness check will help you assess and gain insight into your mental well-being.
• Party on the MARC Lawn: (October 11, 1:30-3:30pm): Join Counseling Services and organizations across campus for an afternoon of fun, food, and fall festivities to help us stay positive and mentally healthy!