We are excited to be holding our own GIS Day event on November 19th, 2014! GIS Day is a global grassroots educational event that enables Geographic Information Systems (GIS) users and vendors to showcase real-world applications of GIS to schools, businesses, and the general public. Organizations that utilize GIS around the world participate by holding or sponsoring an event of their own. The first formal GIS Day took place in 1999. In 2005, more than 700 GIS Day events were held in 74 countries around the globe. Esri president and co-founder Jack Dangermond credits Ralph Nader with inspiring the creation of GIS Day. He saw GIS Day as providing an opportunity for the world to learn about the uses of GIS in mapping geography, and what that mapping technology could provide. He wanted GIS Day to be a grassroots effort and open to everyone to participate. Recognizing the power that GIS technology could provide for healthcare, eHealth Africa as an NGO organization stepped to the forefront of using GIS applications to track polio in Nigeria. Using GIS technology, eHealth is able to map out areas previously unreached during immunization campaigns. Once the area is mapped, much-needed polio vaccinations are able to be distributed and the polio epidemic is brought another step closer to being controlled and eliminated. The theme of GIS Day is “Discovering the world through GIS.” GIS Day provides an international forum for users of GIS technology to demonstrate real-world applications that are making a difference in our society and around the world. We are excited to take part in GIS Day 2014 on November 19th. We look forward to joining with our community partners in discussing GIS usage, and to take a close look at the exciting contributions GIS provides around our world.