The National Grilling Month, which falls in July, is an invitation to eat delicious foods made on the grill. Yes, it’s already hot, and we are telling you to stand near a source of heat to prepare food. But if you can’t beat it, you can strive to make it better, and food makes any situation better. Invite your family and friends for a day out. Plan fun games and play some music as you fire up the grill. While you’re at it, you can try new recipes as you enjoy the outdoors. Grilling is actually so fun and convenient that it was invented soon after the domestication of fire, and this was some 500,000 years ago.

Since 1985, people in the US have celebrated Park & Recreation Month in July to promote building strong, vibrant and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation and to recognize the full-time park and recreation professionals, and hundreds of thousands of part-time and seasonal workers and volunteers, that maintain our country’s local, state and community parks.   The services that park and recreation professionals provide are vital for our communities — from protecting open spaces and natural resources to helping fight obesity and providing activities and resources for all people. Park and Recreation Month encourages everyone to reflect on the exponential value park and recreation professionals and services bring to communities.

July is an excellent time for National Picnic Month. The fresh air stirs the appetite, and garden vegetables and fruits make outdoor eating easier. The word picnic is derived from the French word piquenique. Picnics hearken back to mid-18th-century al fresco French dining. A bottle of wine, a loaf of bread, some cheese and fruit made for an instant meal under the sky. Whether we pack meals for tailgating at sporting events, an afternoon get-away or a weekend of camping, picnics provide an excellent way to enjoy the company of friends and family away from home.

Plastic Free July is a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution so we can have cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities. Plastic Free July provides resources and ideas to help you (and millions of others around the world) reduce single-use plastic waste everyday at home, work, school, and even at your local cafes. Will you be part of Plastic Free July by choosing to refuse single-use plastics?

Are you ready to make a difference in finding a cure for sarcoma? Every July, the sarcoma community comes together to acknowledge Sarcoma Awareness Month and pay tribute to those affected by sarcoma, and to advocate for the needs of those living with sarcoma. From Wear Yellow Day on July 10 to a National Virtual Race to Cure Sarcoma on July 20, SFA has something for everyone to get involved in moving our cause forward. We hope you will join us and make this Sarcoma Awareness Month one to remember!