You may not realize this but tomorrow is a day of celebration. It’s a day of fanfare. This special day comes only once a year, and tomorrow is the day to celebrate. Tomorrow is a day of honor and remembrance.

Tomorrow is Ronald Reagan Day.

Feb. 6 became Ronald Reagan Day through an Iowa House of Representatives resolution passed last February.

The resolution reads “President Ronald Wilson Reagan, a man of humble background, worked throughout his life serving freedom and advancing the public good, having been employed as an entertainer, union leader, corporate spokesman, Governor of California, and President of the United States; and Ronald Reagan began his career by broadcasting radio announcements and advertising at radio station WOC in Davenport, Iowa, in 1932, going on to become the sports announcer at WHO radio in Des Moines when the stations merged, until 1937 when he traveled to California to cover baseball spring training, and was signed by Warner Brothers to appear in motion pictures; and President Reagan served with honor and distinction for two terms as the 40th President of the United States of America.”

Whew. That’s a lot to have about one person in just one sentence.

Just because most of Iowa State’s student population was still in diapers when Reagan was shot doesn’t mean that his day should be forgotten.

And in honor of this former president’s day, I did a little research and designed my guide to the proper Ronald Reagan celebration. (Martha Stewart, eat your heart out).

Usually the preparation should begin weeks in advance, but since the schedule is tight we will cut some corners.

First of all, if you have time take a day trip to Tampico, Ill., the birthplace of great old Ronnie himself. At Tampico there are many tourist attractions such as the apartment the elder Reagans lived in, a plaque that says Ronald Reagan was born there and not much else.

The town’s population was estimated at 775 in 1998. Only a short drive away is the high school Reagan attended at Dixon and played football.

But if you don’t have time to take a four-hour trip to Tampico, just stop by Blockbuster and rent one of Ronald’s 53 films. My recommendations are Reagan’s film debate as a radio announcer (a lot of acting required in that) in “Love Is on the Air.” Other favorites include “Knute Rockne-All American” and “King’s Row.”

Snacks to eat during your Reagan-movie marathon should be jelly beans, Reagan’s favorite.

If you are more of a reader and less of a watcher, books may be a better way to be in touch with the greatest of Reagan. Here’s a list of a just a few of the many books published about Ronald Reagan’s life and political career:

“I Love You, Ronnie.” A collection of love letters written to Nancy. (Note: there is no book about the divorce to his first wife, Jane Wyman.)

“Stories in His Own Hand: The Everyday Wisdom of Ronald Reagan.”

“Ronald Reagan: How an Ordinary Man Became an Extraordinary Leader.” (It is a must read for those future political candidates on campus.)

Another option is to reflect on the accomplishments of Reagan during his years in the White House. There was the foreign policy plan of “peace through strength” which is the reason military spending increased 35 percent during his presidency.

In eight years he was able to improve foreign relations with Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev and even negotiated a treaty that would eliminate intermediate-range nuclear missiles.

He also declared a war against international terrorism (where have I heard that before?) by sending American bombers to Libya. There’s also the tax cuts, Middle East oil trade and employment difficulties in the United States.

Or just for fun, you could play the popular political switcheroo. During this role-playing activity, the players change their political views from liberal to conservative as Screen Actors Guild president Reagan did in the 1950s.

As outlined on his biography on the Ronald Reagan Library Web site, “Reagan, who grew up as a liberal New Deal Democrat, began to change his political beliefs in the late 1940s and 1950s.

His conviction that Communist infiltration was undercutting the nation’s institutions helped to bring fruition a radical shift in his philosophy.”

Before Reagan was elected governor of California, he toured the United States as a spokesman for conservatism.

So there is a short outline of many family fun activities for this year’s Ronald Reagan Day. You may choose to engage in one or many of the choices listed above.

And so, what do I plan for Ronald Reagan Day?

I forget.

Michelle Kann is a senior in journalism and mass communication from Garnavillo. She is the newsroom managing editor.