SPEAK OUT THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF MAY AND ADVOCATE FOR LYME DISEASE AWARENESS.
Lyme Disease Awareness Month is a valuable public education opportunity. This page will give you some ideas for simple projects you can do to raise awareness in your community.
Be sure to add a picture to our Photo Wall to inspire others! If you have additional ideas for educating the public,let us know and we can add them to the list. Let your friends know about this site!
- GOAL OF 30,000 SIGNATURESHelp us reach our May goal of 30,000 signatures on the petition to remove the outdated IDSA treatment guidelines from the National Guidelines Clearinghouse. Sign and ask others to sign, andpost fliers about the petition in your area.
- TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUESGive copies of the Ten Terrific Tick Tips or Six Lyme Myths to colleagues, friends and neighbors and ask them to pass them on.
- TIE RIBBONS ACROSS AMERICA CAMPAIGNJoin in the "Tie Ribbons Across America Campaign" and tie Lyme-green ribbons all over your yard. Get neighbors to do the same.
- ALWAYS BE PREPAREDWear your Lyme-green bracelets, T-shirts and sweat shirts. Keep brochures* in your pocket or purse and hand them to people who ask about Lyme.
- SPREAD THE WORDDrop off Lyme brochures* at local stores, gas stations and schools, laundromats, libraries, clinics, hospital waiting rooms and doctors' offices.
- DISPLAY POSTERSDisplay prevention posters and tick warning posters in your yard, local parks, fishing holes, or near popular hiking trails (ask permission).
- MAKE A DISPLAYMake a display for your library, school, clinic, farm supply store, or office.
- DISTRIBUTE LITERATUREDistribute literature* at health fairs, farmers' markets, golf courses, baseball games and local outdoor events.
- TELL YOUR STORYContact newspapers and media to tell your Lyme disease story.
- SPEAK OUTPresent Lyme disease programs for civic groups like garden clubs, realtors, environmental groups, hunters, animal shelter employees.
- PRESENT A LYME AWARENESS PROGRAMPresent a Lyme Awareness program for local school teachers. Inform them about resources for children. Hand out LymeABCs and the Field Trip form. Show them the Timothy Tickfinder online slide show for kids.
- GIVE LIBRARY LYME DISEASE BOOKSGive your local library Lyme disease books to loan to the public. Order a packet of archival
Lyme Times for the library's reference shelf (ask first). - CONTACT MEDIAContact local news stations and newspapers with Lyme disease messages. Use these tips if you need some help with the process and samples of articles you can use as a template.
- CREATE VIDEOSMake homemade videos or slide programs about Lyme and put them online.
- CONTACT LOCAL TV STATIONGet your local public TV channel to run Lyme videos.
- SHOW UNDER OUR SKINShow "Under Our Skin," the award-winning Lyme disease documentary.
- GET CREATIVEDesign websites, tweets, facebook posts and blogs to promote awareness.
- GIVE A GIFTGive gift baskets to relatives and friends to help them prevent Lyme disease. Fill the basket with tick remover tools, repellent, literature,* tick shampoo for pets, etc.
- INFORM YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERSWrite a short letter to non-Lyme literate healthcare providers and enclose some handouts for doctors.
- TALK TO LOCAL PUBLIC OFFICIALSAsk local public officials to make a public proclamation about Lyme disease. Use one of these archived proclamations as a template to create your own version.
Don't forget to load a photo and tell people about your activity on our Photo Wall!
*Click here for a list of organizations providing free or low cost literature.
