Community Empowerment, Non-profits

Save the date: Childhood Cancer Action Days | May 1-2 2017

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Childhood Cancer Awareness
American Childhood Cancer Organization, together with the Alliance for Childhood Cancer is pleased to announce that this year’s Childhood Cancer Action Days will be held on May 1-2 in Washington, DC. This important two-day event offers an opportunity for everyone in the childhood cancer community to join to advocate on behalf of children with cancer everywhere. This year’s Childhood Cancer Action Days come at a critical point in the legislative process for many issues of critical importance for children facing a cancer diagnosis and will ensure that their voice is heard in both the House of Representative and the Senate.

Fromgirltogirl is pleased to announce that registration for childhood cancer action days is now open, so we encourage anyone who is interested in sharing their story with Congress and advocating in-person with members of the national government on behalf of children with cancer to sign up now! To register, please visit https://give.acco.org/events/-/e120803. Participation costs only $50/family (plus the cost of travel to/from Washington and accommodations in Washington, DC) and scholarships are available. Information on criteria and application process are available at on the registration page. All reservations must be made before the cutoff date of April 2, 2017.

The goal of Childhood Cancer Action Days is to enable all members of the childhood cancer community, including parents, children, survivors, healthcare professionals, and advocacy groups, to learn and implement effective advocacy approaches specifically about childhood cancer. In addition to receiving training and “tips of the trade” from experienced advocacy experts within the childhood cancer community, participants will have the opportunity to meet with their Members of Congress and their staff in person to share their stories and to show their support for childhood cancer issues pending before Congress.

This year’s Childhood Cancer Action Days will be hosted at the Renaissance Washington, DC Downtown Hotel located at 999 9th Street NW, Washington, DC. On Monday, May 1, advocates will participate in training seminars including New Advocates Training and Issues & Advocacy Training. Tuesday, May 2, will begin with a kick-off breakfast at the Renaissance Hotel, followed by pre-arranged meetings with members of Congress on Capitol Hill. A room block at the Renaissance Hotel has been set aside for participants wishing to stay on-site at the hotel; reservations for hotel rooms may be made by calling 202-898-9000 or by going to http://www.acco.org/actiondays17/.

If you would like more information about Childhood Cancer Action Days, or have questions about registration or about getting involved, please feel free to email the Alliance for Childhood Cancer at alliance@asco.org or American Childhood Cancer Organization (ACCO) at staff@acco.org.

About American Childhood Cancer Organization

The American Childhood Cancer Organization (ACCO) is the nation’s largest grassroots organization at the forefront of the crucial battle against childhood cancer. The ACCO is dedicated to improving the lives of children living with childhood cancer and its long-term impacts, and to offering critical advice, support, and help to families engaged in this life-altering struggle. 

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Local Topics, Politics

Army Secretary Eric Fanning Insight on Army of the Future

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Secretary of the U.S. Army, Eric Fanning is discussing the importance of diversity, budget stability, and innovation at the Library of Congress on Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2016, at 11 a.m.  The interview by the Library’s Deputy Director of National and International Outreach, Colleen Shogan, will take place in the historic Members Room at the Library’s Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. SE, Washington, D.C. The event is free and open to the public.

Fanning was appointed the 22nd Secretary of the Army by President Barack Obama on May 18, 2016. In that capacity, Fanning has statutory responsibility for all matters relating to the United States Army: personnel, reserve affairs, installations, environmental issues, weapons systems and equipment acquisition, communications and financial management.

Previously he served as acting secretary of the Army from November 2015 through January 2016, and before that was designated acting undersecretary of the Army and chief management officer. Fanning also served as the secretary of the Army’s senior civilian assistant and principal adviser on matters related to the management and operation of the Army, including development and integration of the Army program and budget. As chief management officer (CMO) of the Army he advised the secretary on the effective and efficient organization of the Army’s business operations and initiatives for the business transformation of the Army.

Previously Fanning served as the defense secretary’s chief of staff. He helped manage the secretary’s transition, built his leadership team and oversaw the day-to-day staff activities of the Office of the Secretary of Defense. From April 2013 until February 2015, Fanning served as the 24th undersecretary of the Air Force. As undersecretary and chief management officer of the Air Force, he oversaw an annual budget of more than $110 billion in his role as co-chair of the top Air Force corporate decision-making entity, the Air Force Council. He also led the Air Force Space Board, the Air Force Energy Council, the Force Management and Development Council, and many other Air Force decision-making bodies.

About the Library of Congress

The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States—and extensive materials from around the world—both on site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov, access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov, and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.
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Fromgirltogirl.com, Travel

Great Local Event: All-Day Series of Talkson Geographic Information Systems

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The Library of Congress will celebrate GIS (Geographic Information Systems) Day on Nov. 16 with an all-day series of talks on the use of GIS technology in the federal government, the private sector, academia and K-12 schools. The discussions will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 16, in the reading room of the Library’s Geography and Map Division, on the basement level of the James Madison Memorial Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E., Washington, D.C.  Tickets are not required for this event, which is free and open to the public. A Geographic Information System is a computer system for storing, analyzing, manipulating and displaying digital data that is linked to positions on the Earth’s surface.  GIS provides the modern basis for digital geographic analysis and map-making. GIS Day is held during Geography Awareness Week (Nov. 13-19)—an annual, global celebration of GIS technology, with events held by organizations around the world.  Formally started in 1999, GIS Day aims to provide a forum to promote the benefits of GIS research, demonstrate real-world applications of GIS and foster open idea-sharing and growth in the GIS community.

The Library’s morning session will include presentations from high-school and university students and recent graduates showcasing their environmentally-focused GIS research.  The morning will also feature talks on the use of GIS in the federal government and by non-profit organizations and will highlight career opportunities in the growing field of GIS. The afternoon session will focus on GIS activities and resources throughout the Capitol Hill complex.  Cartographers, GIS analysts and library technicians from the Library’s Geography and Map Division and the Library’s Congressional Research Service will discuss ongoing projects and services.  These are designed to broaden the availability of geospatial data and provide GIS analysis and custom cartography to Congress.  The afternoon also will feature talks from congressional aides using GIS to visualize geographic data and inform constituents of policy issues and news through digital cartography. The program will conclude with tours of the Geography and Map Division’s collections, including rare cartographic treasures. Learn more about the schedule as well as information about the Library of Congress’ largest and most comprehensive collection of maps and atlases in the world, some 5.4 million cartographic items that date from the 14th century to the present time by visiting loc.gov.

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