Happy First Day of Fall 2026

 

After months of heat and humidity, a little relief may be on its way as we usher in the Fall Equinox this evening! 

According to the Farmer's Almanac, the fall equinox is an astronomical event when the sun sits directly above the Earth's equator, marking the official first day of autumn. On this day, daylight and darkness are roughly equal at 12 hours each. 🌞🌛

The Sun crosses the celestial equator moving south in the Northern Hemisphere. Neither the Northern nor Southern Hemisphere is tilted toward the sun. After this day, the Northern Hemisphere tilts farther away from the sun - leading to shorter days, longer nights, and cooler weather.

Be sure to Welcome Fall at 8:04pm this evening! 🍂

UthMpact Class XVI Etiquette Dinner

Kudos to our UthMpact Board for leading the 16th Annual UthMpact Polk Etiquette Dinner held last month on August 26, 2026 at The Club at Eaglebrooke. Students who are participating in the 2026-2027 UthMpact Leadership Class XVI enjoyed an amazing opportunity to network with members of the Leadership Lakeland Alumni Association and savor a fine dining experience. 🍴

At the Etiquette Dinner, our teen leaders learned the importance of proper dining etiquette in a formal setting and discussed informative topics with members of the business community including advice about hiring practices for young people and sharing life and career insights. 

Special thanks to The Club at Eaglebrooke and to the Leadership Lakeland Alumni Association for their continued support!

 

Trick or Treat with Polk Sheriff Grady Judd on October 24

 

Get your best Halloween costume ready for this safe and family-friendly event planned for Saturday, October 24, 2026, from 2:00pm to 6:00pm, at Sun 'n Fun, located at 4175 Medulla Road, in Lakeland, FL. 🧡

Families will be treated to fun entertainment, candy, music, dancing, photos, and characters.👻And best thing is...it's FREE! Contact the Polk Sheriff's Office for more details and info.

National FAMILY DAY: A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children September 28

 

Mark your calendar for Monday, September 28, which is National Family Day: A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children - a reminder of the power of meals, connection, and togetherness.👪

We encourage you to participate in this national effort to promote family dinners as an effective way to reduce youth substance abuse and other risky behaviors. Research by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University consistently finds the more often children eat dinner with their families, the less likely they may be to smoke, drink or use illegal substances.🚭

Learn more about this initiative, sign the Family Day Pledge, and receive tips to talk with your children by visiting https://www.informedfamilies.org/

Support National Infant Mortality Awareness Month in September

 

September is National Infant Mortality Awareness Month, a time to recognize that every baby deserves the chance to celebrate a first birthday and thrive beyond it.👶Infant mortality reflects the health of families and communities, and reducing it requires continued attention to healthy pregnancies, safe sleep, access to quality prenatal and pediatric care, and support for parents before, during, and after birth.

An excellent local resource we'd like to share for families to contact to obtain valuable information from Florida Healthy Start is the Healthy Start Coalition of Hardee, Highlands, and Polk Counties, Inc., located at 650 E. Davidson St., in Bartow, FL. Contact them at (863) 534-9224 and visit them on their website at:  

https://www.healthystarthhp.org/

Always Remember – Never Forget: September 11, 2001

 

September 11, 2001 will never be forgotten - 25 years later, Americans continue to honor the memories of those who lost their lives, pay tribute to the bravery of first responders, and reflect on the values of freedom, democracy, and resilience.

Although time goes by, we will always recall where we were during one of the worst days in American history as tragedy ensued at the Twin Towers in New York City, at the Pentagon, and aboard United Airlines Flight 93 over Pennsylvania.

Out of these unspeakable tragedies came stories of strength, courage, fortitude, and some of the bravest acts of the heroes of 9/11. We remember the innocent lives lost, the heroes who stepped up to defend our country, the families who suffer painful loss of loved ones, the volunteers who gave selflessly, and those who sacrificed everything. God Bless America!

Please Consider a Smart Investment in a Drug Free Future

 

Did you know that for every $1 invested in prevention that between $7 and $30 is saved in treatment costs? That is not just smart economics, it is also smart compassion.

Your donation to support InnerAct Alliance increases positive impact across Central Florida and supports our agency's education, training, and support programs for parents, children, families, and schools right here in our community to help raise safe, healthy, and substance-free children.

For four decades, we have chosen prevention over intervention, positive facts over scare tactics, and community investment over crisis management to help students in Polk, Highlands, and Hardee counties grow up making healthy choices because someone believed prevention can work.

Empower positive change - every gift, no matter the size, demonstrates that our community values prevention, supports youth leaders, and believes in the power of positive peer pressure.

Please donate to InnerAct Alliance at:
https://www.inneractalliance.org/donations.html

 

Register to participate in the 2026 Red Ribbon Run on October 31:
https://runsignup.com/Race/FL/Lakeland/InnerActAllianceRedRibbonRun

Visit the InnerAct Alliance website for helpful tools and inspiration to keep your family safe, healthy, and connected at:
https://www.inneractalliance.org/

Keep up with the latest prevention use on the IAA Blog at:

https://inneractblogtownhallmeeting.blogspot.com/