Aßlar – September 13, 2026 -- Relationship coaches Jonathan Makkonen and Janine Förster argue that a respectful breakup starts long before any divorce paperwork is filed, not after it. The pair, founders of coaching practice Das Relationship, say the decisions couples make during a healthy relationship determine whether a later separation turns into years of conflict or a manageable transition.
Boston – September 13, 2026 -- Boston Children's Museum will host Gabby's Dollhouse MEOWseum Discovery Days from September 18 through September 20, 2026, offering families a free costume character Meet & Greet included with paid museum admission.
The event, presented in collaboration with DreamWorks Animation and the Association of Children's Museums (ACM), returns for a second year at the Boston location. Programming includes a Storytime session, a Gabby Cats scavenger hunt, a dance party with DJ Catnip, and a craft activity making Hamster Kitty Fairies.
Families can register through the museum's website ahead of the event. Regular museum admission applies -- $24 for adults, children ages 1-15, and seniors -- while children under 12 months and museum members enter free.
Irvine, Calif. – September 12, 2026 -- LA Fitness will host its first-ever 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb from September 11-13 at select clubs nationwide, inviting participants to climb 110 flights of stairs on StairMaster machines in tribute to the World Trade Center's 110 stories.
The event, organized by operator Fitness International, LLC, is open to members, guests, local first responders, and community members. Some locations may feature firefighter appearances, special fitness classes, live DJs, and local vendors alongside the stair-climb challenge.
Fitness International will offer a complimentary 30-day guest pass exclusively for first responders, giving them access to LA Fitness amenities and equipment. The pass must be redeemed between September 11 and September 13, 2026 at participating clubs.
Cincinnati – September 12, 2026 -- Penn Station Sandwiches, recently rebranded from Penn Station East Coast Subs, has relaunched its annual Deals for Down Syndrome fundraising campaign, letting guests donate $5 for a coupon booklet worth more than $30 in offers.
The chain matches every dollar raised, doubling the impact of customer donations, with proceeds benefiting Down Syndrome Associations across the country. The campaign has surpassed $2 million in total support to date, according to founder Jeff Osterfeld.
Sheboygan Falls, Wis. – September 11, 2026 -- Johnsonville is running "Sausage" as a mock candidate for "Dinner 2026," a campaign built on new Harris Poll research showing Americans are worn out by both politics and nightly meal decisions.
The Johnsonville-commissioned National Temperature Check found 81% of Americans believe society has become too political, and 66% expect the 2026 midterms to make news even more overwhelming. Seventy-four percent say they hate political advertising, and 84% think their communities could better use the estimated $10 billion being spent on midterm ads this year.
On the dinner side, 31% of respondents say they've forgotten to plan a meal at least once in the past year due to distraction from current events. More than half, 53%, say they hate deciding what to make for dinner, and the same share wish someone would just hand them an idea.
Cologne – September 11, 2026 -- Rescue dogs got a shot at new homes at a Bark Date event held on September 6 at Beethovenpark in Cologne, where TV presenter Laura Wontorra and dog expert Jochen Bendel helped connect shelter animals with potential adopters.
The initiative brings together dogs from animal welfare groups and prospective adopters on dog-friendly meadows rather than in traditional shelter settings, allowing animals to show their personality in a relaxed environment before any adoption decision is made.
Around 350 animal welfare associations and more than 1,000 active foster homes now work with Bark Date. Since the initiative launched, over 4,000 dogs have been presented and more than 1,000 have been successfully placed in new homes.
Chicago – September 11, 2026 -- The city of Chicago and Mayor Brandon Johnson are bringing back the Chicago River Swim for a second year, expanding the event from 500 to 750 qualified swimmers and reviving "The Big Jump" as part of a three-day weekend from September 18 to 20, 2026. Registration is open now at ChicagoRiverSwim.org for both the swim and the jump.
The event gives registered participants a sanctioned chance to leap into the river while raising money for ALS research and youth swim education. Mayor Johnson will serve as master of ceremonies alongside Dutch Olympic gold medalist Maarten van der Weijden, Czech ice-swimming world champion Max Munson, Dublin Mayor Daryl Barron, former Chicago Bears player Charles Tillman, and Grammy-winning producer DJ White Shadow.
Fairfax, Va. – September 11, 2026 -- Three in four adults believe fear of exposure stops people with substance use disorder from seeking treatment, according to a new survey from Inova Health System.
Inova's eighth annual Act on Addiction survey found stigma remains the top barrier to care in the region. Fewer than 20% of respondents knew that substance use is classified as a brain disorder, one that alters brain circuits governing reward, stress and self-control. Nearly 9 in 10 respondents said raising awareness of that fact would reduce stigma in their community.
Just 48% of respondents believed their community would be supportive if someone openly discussed their recovery journey. That confidence dropped among women (44%), Black respondents (45%), Hispanic respondents (47%) and rural Virginians (43%).
Munich – September 11, 2026 -- RTLZWEI airs a new double episode of its social documentary series "Hartz, Rot, Gold" on September 8, 2026, at 8:15 p.m., with the episode available seven days earlier on RTL+.
The Hamburg couple already has a crib for their baby, thanks to a furniture donation, and 55-year-old Olaf plans to build a shelf himself. He is also considering a job at the Hamburg Dom fair. But a visit to the gynecologist brings alarming news: doctors detected a lump on the baby's heart. Jessica tries to stay calm while Olaf grows increasingly worried.
Cologne – September 09, 2026 -- Social-impact brand share and RTL Deutschland have launched a joint campaign to support equal opportunities for children, centered on a new share x RTL snack bar sold at six major German retailers.
Every bar purchased triggers a donation from the "Stiftung RTL - Wir helfen Kindern e.V." to breakfast4Kids e.V., a nonprofit that provides a healthy breakfast to roughly 1,400 children daily across 35 schools and daycare centers in the Aachen and Cologne region.
Two TV ads airing across RTL Deutschland channels feature Ludowig and Köppen being approached by children who highlight unequal opportunities faced by many kids in Germany. The ads frame each bar purchase as a direct contribution toward better chances for those children.