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Greenwich,CT, June 4, 2007... It began at a YMCA in Spokane, Wash., with a young woman named Sonora Louise Smart. She was the daughter of a Civil War veteran, raising his children alone after the death of their mother. On Mother's Day in 1909, Sonora heard a sermon honoring mothers and wondered why there was no holiday for fathers. During a meeting at the Spokane, Wash. YMCA, she shared her concern with ministers. The nation's first Father's Day celebration took place at the Spokane Y on June 19, 1910, in William Smart's birth month.
Sonora Smart had suggested that fathers be honored through religious services, special meals, small gifts and the wearing of red roses. In 1972, President Nixon signed Father's Day into law. Today, the day dedicated to Dads has become increasingly an opportunity to lavish gifts and loving gestures on one's father.
"Today, fathers play an enormous role in the lives of their children," said Barbra Taylor, Vice President of Operations of Greenwich Family Y. "We see them daily, acting as coaches, teachers, role models and confidants, and our Y, as a leading community service organization, is totally committed in supporting and reassuring them," Taylor said.
Two recent "Building Strong Families" studies by YMCA of the USA and the Search Institute of Minneapolis found that parents think they're doing a good job raising their children but could always use more resources and occasional assistance - and reassurance, from trusted friends.
Current programs like YMCA Adventure Guides foster understanding and companionship between children and their Dads- and Moms. It features parent-and-child activities like camping, service-learning projects, arts and crafts, music, and storytelling, and emphasizes the role of parents as guides in their child's life. Currently, 473 YMCAs offer Adventure Guides programs, including the Greenwich Family YMCA.
In addition to YMCA Adventure Guides, the Greenwich Family also offers programs like parent/ child swim lessons, another great way to spend family time together, offering children vital life skills and parents the opportuinity to bond with their children. The Y also offers family friendly events throughout the year such as Healthy Kids Day and an annual Halloween party.
"This Father's Day, let's celebrate fathers and reach out to the fathers in your life with a pat on the back," said Taylor. "When we support parents, we begin to build strong kids and families, strong communities and a strong nation."
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