City of St. Cloud Mayor Rebecca Borders presented four proclamations during a St. Cloud City Council Regular Meeting May 10 at City Hall.

Nurses Week – Borders proclaimed the week of May 6-12 as Nurses Week in St. Cloud. National Nurses Week is celebrated annually, ending on the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing.

“Professional nursing has been demonstrated to be an indispensable component in the safety and quality of care of hospitalized patients,” Borders said. “I ask that all residents join me in honoring the registered nurses who care for all of us and in recognizing registered nursing’s accomplishments and efforts to improve our health care system.” The 2012 theme is Nurses: Advocating, Leading, Caring.

Public Works Week – Borders proclaimed the week of May 20-26 as Public Works Week in St. Cloud. This year’s theme is Public Works: Serving you and your community. Borders called upon residents and civic organizations to acquaint themselves with the issues involved in providing public works.

“The efficiency of the qualified and dedicated personnel who staff public works departments is materially influenced by the people’s attitude and understanding of the importance of the work they perform,” she said. “I encourage everyone to recognize the important contributions that public works personnel make every day to our community’s health, safety, comfort, and quality of life.”

Water Reuse Week – Borders proclaimed the week of May 20-26 as Water Reuse Week in St. Cloud. The third week in May is recognized as Florida Water Reuse Week – a time to bring awareness to Floridians about the importance of reusing this valuable resource.

“Florida leads our nation in reusing 667 million gallons of reclaimed water each day to conserve freshwater supplies and replenish our rivers, streams, lakes, and aquifers,” Borders said. “City of St. Cloud encourages and promotes water reuse and conservation and has implemented a successful water reuse program and encourages efficient and effective use of reclaimed water.”

Water Safety Month – Borders proclaimed the month of May as Water Safety Month in St. Cloud. She expressed the vital importance of communicating water safety rules and programs to families and individuals of all ages, whether owners of private pools, users of public swimming facilities, or visitors to water parks. “Citizens are encouraged to recognize the vital role that swimming and aquatic-related activities contribute to good physical and mental health and enhance the quality of life,” she said. “Also, understanding the essential role that education regarding the topic of water safety plays in preventing drowning and recreational water-related injuries.”