The year 2013 is the year of the Black Water Snake, which signifies steady progress and attention to detail.

The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM®) and its stakeholder organizations, the American Association of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, American Organization for Bodywork Therapies of Asia, Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, and the Council of State Associations for Acupuncture are continually seeking ways to help promote the AOM profession.

Collectively, the above organizations have partnered to celebrate AOM Day since 2002. AOM Day is an excellent vehicle to bring light to the benefits of acupuncture and Oriental medicine. This year AOM Day is celebrated on Thursday, October 24th across the country.

Every year, the above organizations issue a nationwide press release (available on the AOM Day website at www.aomday.org) to promote acupuncture and Oriental medicine through AOM Day. Please join these organizations in promoting AOM Day by obtaining the press release from the AOM day website and submitting it to the local media in your area.

In order to provide information to the public about AOM Day events in your area, the NCCAOM and its stakeholder organizations invite individual practitioners, organizations and schools interested in promoting AOM Day activities and providing information on the efficacy and safety of the medicine to join us in posting your events and information. To facilitate your local involvement a form is provided on the AOM Day website. Details about your event, based on the information submitted, will be posted on the AOM Day website. Your event will also be promoted via a press release to the media and the public.

Past AOM Day celebrations have included free classes, health screenings, acupuncture demonstrations; and mini "treatments," including massage, medical qi gong, tongue and pulse diagnosis, and auricular acupressure. In the past, some events have included the opportunity for attendees to make and take home their own herbal remedies. Some AOM practitioners have also offered reduced fees for their service on AOM Day or in some cases, free treatments.

The AOM Day website also serves as a resource for AOM practitioners and others to organize participation and educate the public about the AOM profession through published articles. We welcome your completed form submissions to . All submissions will be considered for publication on the AOM Day website.

The success for AOM Day will be greatly enhanced by involving as many practitioners as possible. It is the goal of AOM Day to have more people benefit from this time-proven medicine, not just on October 24th but on every day of the year.

Mina Larson is the chief executive officer of the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.