Today is Father's Day, which comes just a few short weeks after Mother's Day. In 1909 Sonora Dodd of Spokane, Washington listened to a sermon during the day for moms and she decided that dear old dad should have a special day as well.
Dodd has a very special dad William Smart, a Civil War Vet, who managed to raise six children by himself after losing his wife. The mayor of Spokane proclaimed June 19, 1910 the very first Father's Day. Over a century later, dad's throughout the U.S. are celebrated with their own special day.
In 1966, Lyndon Johnson, made the third Sunday in June the official date to celebrate fathers. Now over 75% of American households will celebrate the day spending an average of $106.49 on the dads in their lives. What will you be doing to honor the dads in your life today? If you don't have plans, it's not too late.
While moms often get a lot of praise, dads are incredibly important in the lives of their children. Can you believe there are 70.1 million fathers in the U.S.? Take today and tell the dad in your life how much you appreciate him. Perhaps just a phone call is all you can swing, but just taking the time out to do it will let him know you care.
Like this article? See more by Kate James at Gather.com
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Comments: 6
Being a true Chinese, he saved enough to become an entrepreneur. My father and my grandmother were only able to join him when the Chinese Exclusion Act was relaxed, my father by then 14 years old.
He became a cook for the US Army in Hawaii that translated into his becoming a small restauranter. Chinese strongly believing in education for their kids, I and my siblings went to public schools and now in the second generation of our family after more than a century in Hawaii and the US, we all have college degrees and have prospered.
I believe this is a typical story for many of the Chinese of my generation. I'm proud and grateful to be an American and bless grand dad for coming here and to Dad for his hard years working so we, his kids and I, enjoy the life we do.
Happy Father's Day, all Dads!!
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