Toad Hollow Day of Encouragement ?

Okay, last week's lunch trays held a little card for Squirrel Appreciation Day!  Now this week, lunch trays are announcing "Toad Hollow Day of Encouragement"  Say What?? !!  The card simply said "Fact of the Day:  Toad Hollow Day of Encouragement is a little known holiday celebrated each year on Januar 26th.
Now, I originally intended to post this yesterday since that apparently is "official" Toad Hollow Day of Encouragement" but I worked very late.  I wanted to do a little research before I posted this - Find out if it actually is a holiday of any sort - Find out what it means!

I mean really, have any of my readers ever heard of this?   If so, I'd love to hear all about it from you!

Tonight I got home a wee bit earlier than last night and the first thing I did was jump on the internet to do that research.  Here's what I found out at ww w.ehow.education.com.  :

Toad Hollow Day of Encouragement is a little-known holiday celebrated each year on January 26. Originally established as a day to connect with others through the heart, it stresses the importance of sharing a kind word with fellow man. Although the name conjures thoughts of childhood storybooks and amusement park rides, Toad Hollow Day of Encouragement is actually rooted in an 1800s-era school house located in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Origin

1. While on staff at a local community college, Ralph C. Morrison, storyteller and subsequent founder of the Toad Hollow collective, taught an elderly student named Eunice, who was profiled in the local paper. The article mentioned that she attended Toad Hollow Country School, and upon reading the piece, Morrison says he became enamored with the name. He went on to explain during a personal interview that he began spinning tales of the legendary place for his performances, prompting audience members to inquire about its true location, to which he would always respond that it was not found on any map, but only "in your heart."

The Story

2. Morrison's interview further revealed that the legend of Toad Hollow grew into a reality for local residents when Kalamazoo County officials offered him land from a seldom-used park for his storytelling activities. He accepted the offer and organized a nonprofit society to operate the park in 1992. With help from volunteers, they constructed an 1800s pioneer homestead and town and refurbished a run-down grist mill already located on the property. For the next three years, Toad Hollow hosted Civil War reenactments, Renaissance Fairs and even Teddy Bear Picnics. After that, the county reclaimed the property, and the people of Toad Hollow donated all of their improvements, except the mill, to other historic organizations and museums.

People

3. The group that oversaw Toad Hollow were all volunteers. While discussing the park, Morrison described how the volunteers shared their expertise with visitors, teaching classes on blacksmithing, quilting and soap and candle making. At the height of Toad Hollow's popularity, it had a staff of over 100, who referred to themselves as "Voluntoads." After Toad Hollow reverted back to Kalamazoo County, the Voluntoads continued their classes off campus, starting seven schools, including storytelling, writing, barbecuing and early American arts and trades, which continued until 2003. While telling his story, Morrison stated that the idea for the Toad Hollow Day of Encouragement grew out of their passion for helping others, ultimately becoming a way to motivate people to share what is in their hearts every day. From this beginning, the Voluntoads also founded the Toad Hollow Day of Thank You on June 20, and later, the Toad Hollow Week of Encouragement, which falls in mid-March.

Geography

4. The original Toad Hollow Country School---the first erected in Kalamazoo County---was built in 1834 at the end of Knox Street. Toad Hollow Cemetery (also known as Bailey/Southside Cemetery) is located on the north side of MN Avenue, between 38th and 40th Streets in Charleston Township. The park that once served as headquarters for Toad Hollow remains under the control of Kalamazoo County as Scotts Mill Park, and according to its website still features a working water-powered grist mill.

Significance

5. As Morrison tells it, the Toad Hollow Day of Encouragement carried on as a local holiday until the publishers of "Chase's Calendar of Events" contacted him about the possibility of including the January occasion in their publication. After its promotion in the book, word of the annual observance spread, and now sites across the Internet known for listing unusual days of the year contain reference to it. Web-based merchants even offer Toad Hollow Day of Encouragement sweatshirts, coffee mugs and other gift items for sale.