The Story Behind Father's Day

Holiday founded at a YMCA to honor father of six motherless children

On June 17, 2007 when millions of fathers enjoy gifts and cards nationwide, most of them will be unaware that, in addition to their children, they also owe special thanks to Sonora Louise Smart the founder of Father's Day.

Eighty-nine years ago at a YMCA in Spokane, Wash., this dedicated daughter honored her father by calling for an annual Father's Day. The inspiration for Father's Day struck Sonora in 1909, while listening to a sermon celebrating Mother's Day. She thought of her father, a Civil War veteran, who had raised her and five brothers after their mother died in childbirth. Sonora shared her idea with local Protestant ministers at the Spokane YMCA who passed a resolution to observe a Father's Day.

The Spokane YMCA sponsored the first celebration on June 19, 1910. June was her father's birth month. Ms. Smart suggested honoring fathers through religious services, special meals, small gifts and wearing roses. The Father's Day idea spread rapidly, and in 1924, President Calvin Coolidge recommended a national observance.

"Being a father in 2005 comes with a much different job description than in Sonora's day," said Barbara Taylor, Associate Director for Child Care and Family Programs for the YMCA of the USA. "Fathers are earning this day of recognition more than ever before. At the YMCA we've seen fathers take a much more active role in raising their children joining family activity nights, volunteering with their kids, arranging child care and participating in one-on-one programs. Fathers deserve a pat on the back and, of course, all the support community organizations like YMCAs can give them to make their job easier and more enjoyable."

Sonora Louise Smart Dodd died at the age of 96 but her legacy lives on. A monument to Sonora's holiday stands at the Spokane YMCA where today thousands of fathers and their children enjoy a wide range of family programs.

.
.

News Items About Fathers and Fathers Day:

Father's Day Sizzles at Cabernet
This year, why not treat your dad to a Father’s Day he will never forget -- a three-course dinner during Cabernet Steakhouse’s Fantastic Father’s Day Celebration...
Million Father March Back to School
With the first day of school approaching quickly for most school districts, a Chicago-based organziation, the Black Star Project, is organizing the Million Father March. In this march, dads walk...
TiVo & Cracker Jacks: TiVo plays ball
Just a heads-up, folks. TiVo will be headed to a Minor League Baseball game near you this Father’s Day week. Check the list below and take your kids out to the ball game! Happy Father's Day!~Nova the TiVo team Nashville...
Daughter testifies in father's murder trial
The daughter of an Arcadia stockbroker accused of killing his wife described her father as "distraught" and "crying" the day before the August 2005 slaying.
Father's Day the Frugal and Sentimental Way.
Give Dad a frugal sentimental and thoughtful Father's Day gift. Frugal does NOT always mean cheap, see how to make Dad's day special, sentimental and budgetwise!

Your Best Fathers Day Resources:

1. photos.grubbykid.com .:. life through emulsion .:. Happy Father's Day
... June 19, 2005 Canon SLR image tags: geese gosling broadchannel queens nyc ´ ª | ªx´ Happy Father's Day Comments Name: Email Address: URL: Remember personal info? Yes No Comments: Please keep ...
http://photos.grubbykid.c ...619-happy_fathers_day

2. cplee.org - Happy Father's Day!
... org You are here: Home > June 2003 > Happy Father's Day! June 15, 2003 Happy Father's Day! Posted at June 15, 2003 05:07 PM in News . Wishing all those father's out there a Happy Father's Day ...
http://www.cplee.org/archives/000032.html

3. Father's Day eCards - A gift for you dad, happy Father's Day! - Funny-Ecards.com
... Lists Men vs Women Various Work Funpages Index Previous eCardNext eCard A gift for you dad, happy Father's Day! Featured eCards A cute teddy hug A dancing and mooning baby! You make me crazy, baby! You ...
http://www.funny-ecards.c ...day/gift-for-you.html

4. Frogtails » Blog Archive » Happy Father’s Day!
Frogtails Faces you remember ´ test post Gas prices ª Happy Fathers Day! Happy Fathers Day to all the wonderful dads! This entry was posted on Sunday, June 19th, 2005 at 9:37 pm and is filed under ...
http://www.frogtails.com/wordpress/?p=99

5. NBC10.com - Father's Day
... hard to make his Father's Day a happy one. More Major League Baseball ... NBC10.com - ...
http://www.nbc10.com/fathersday/index.html

6.
> > Happy Father's Day Yes, indeed! My son and I forgot to mail his dad the father's day card that we bought, so we scanned it and emailed it to him. I think I have hit a new low in lazy ...
http://www.joyfulparentin ...E672490194/index.html

7. Fathers Day cards - Send free Fathers Day cards!
... Free Happy Father' Day cards from The Cyber Surfer Card Shop! Now you can send these great Fathers day cards with your own Happy Fathers' Day greetings as online cards to anyone on the Internet - and ...
http://www.cyber-surfer.c ...fathers-day-cards.htm

8. HAPPY FATHER'S DAY ON CD
Niko Central / Desktop Enhancements / Screensavers HAPPY FATHER'S DAY ON CD THIS SCREEN SAVER DISPLAY'S THE MESSAGE HAPPY FATHER'S DAY IN DIFFERENT COLORS AND STYLES. Vendor: Ken's Gift Shop Website ...
http://www.nikocentral.co ...y-on-cd_2883-114.html

9.
... Work & Family Finance Uncommon Sense Parties, Crafts & Activities The Forums Fatherhood Happy Father's Day Discover gifts the kids can make, feasts fit for dad and a gallery of fantastic fathers ...
http://www.todaysparent.com/fathersday/

10. The Jeff Pulver Blog: Happy Fatherís Day!
... s Acquisition of Dialpad | Main | More surfers from the Tel Aviv Beach ª June 19, 2005 Happy Fatherís Day! Happy Fatherís Day to everyone who may be celebrating this today. Posted by jeff at June 19 ...
http://pulverblog.pulver.com/archives/002450.html

11. Father's Day
... Get a $30 Amazon Promotional Certificate when you buy Huggies Huggies size 1-2 Huggies size 3 Huggies size 4 Huggies size 5 Our Sponsors: Father's Day Site Directory >> Holidays & Celebrations ...
http://www.mommysavers.co ...ations/fathersday.htm

12. EV Cards: Happy Father's Day!
Inside ------>
http://www.enduringvision ...ves/card_fathers1.htm

13. Matt & Michelle: Happy Father's Day
... Sunday, June 19, 2005 Happy Father's Day Happy Father's Day to all the dad's out there. Today I called my dad as soon as I got up. It's too bad he lives so far away or I would have given him a BIG ...
http://www.mattandmichell ...appy-fathers-day.html

14. Worthwhile: Happy Father's Day
... 11:49 AM Sunday, June 19, 2005 Happy Father's Day by Halley Suitt on Life Okay you Worthwhile fathers -- what's your idea of the perfect Father's Day? I know a dad who's taking his boy to see the Red ...
http://www.worthwhilemag. ...happy_fathers_day.php

15. ACCtheGladshiem :: View topic - Happy Father's Day [ Guest ]
... Register Make Homepage The time now is Mon Oct 31, 2005 1:08 am All times are GMT - 8 Hours Happy Father's Day Users browsing this topic: 0 Registered, 0 Hidden and 0 Guests Registered Users: None ...
http://www.gladshiem.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5

16. OyBabyBlog: Happy Father's Day
... 2005! Sunday, June 19, 2005 Happy Father's Day Hope yours was as good as mine. posted by Rob @ 6/19/2005 09:54:00 PM 0 Comments: Post a Comment << Home About Me Name:Rob Location:Mercer Island ...
http://blog.oybaby.com/20 ...appy-fathers-day.html

17. Watcher of Weasels: Happy Father's Day
... world ´ The Coalition of the Willing | Main | Submitted for Your Approval ª June 20, 2005 Happy Father's Day Posted by Watcher at 11:02 PM | Comments (1) GOD! I loved that frikin movie! Posted by ...
http://www.watcherofwease .../archives/001642.html

18. Your Guide to Boating! October - Happy Halloween
... October - Happy Halloween - NOVEMBER 22, 2005 - Today's News The latest boating news from around the world. (updated daily) Today's Weather The weather report for Sailors. (updated hourly) Internet ...
http://www.marinersguide.com/

19. Poppy Mom: Happy Father's Day, B.
Poppy Mom ´ Concerting | Main | Blah blah blabbidy blah blah ª June 19, 2005 Happy Father's Day, B. Clara "Daddy's Girl" Jane and I love you very much. (Clara Jane later celebrated the holiday by ...
http://www.poppymom.com/a ...6/happy_fathers_d.php

20. No Shrimp: Happy Father's Day
about books buffy lists literature media pants rants snippets ´ The way you see yourself | Main | the king of rock & roll ª September 08, 2003 Happy Father's Day Ten reasons fathers are cool. 1. They ...
http://www.worldwithoutsh ...m/archives/000040.php

21. Our 2005 Father's Day Celebration: Brag On Your Dad
Father's Day Gifts Click here for gift ideas for your dad! You told us about the Bravest, Coolest, and Funniest Dads around! Come find out if YOUR DAD won our 2005 "Brag on Your Dad" Contest! EXPRESS ...
http://www.agirlsworld.co ...fathersday/index.html

22. Happy Father’s Day Signed Baseball - Luxist - www.luxist.com
... Weblog 46 hours ago Add to My AOLMyYahoo Happy Fathers Day Signed Baseball Posted May 13, 2005, 2:57 PM ET by Deidre Woollard Neiman Marcus and Steiner Sports have teamed up to provide a series of ...
http://www.luxist.com/entry/1234000737043313/

23. DenverPost.com Bloghouse » Happy Father’s Day!
... LOU'S INSIDER Happy Fathers Day! This is my 7th year as a Dad after 41 years of always celebrating it with my Dad. You know, us Dads donÄôt get a lot of credit, and in most cases we donÄôt deserve ...
http://www.denverpostblog ...19/happy-fathers-day/

24. Mass Hysteria: 050618 - Happy Father's Day
Saturday, June 18, 2005 050618 - Happy Father's Day This week's episode... Longwave release There's a Fire Janine goes to work for a mystery company who planted chips in her brain! Sugar and the Raw ...
http://www.mahysteria.com ...appy-fathers-day.html

25. Coleman Family Website » Happy Father’s Day!
Home About Archives Photos Contact ´ New Camera Coming Soon Daniels Big Gurl Delight ª Happy Fathers Day! June 19, 2005 @ 9:07 am Filed under General by Carrie Ann Im pretty sure were headin to ...
http://colemanfamily.org/ ...06/happy-fathers-day/

26. pdxsurreal blog » Blog Archive » Happy Father’s Day
... GMail for our troops Super Dad ª Happy Fathers Day Its a blurry picture, but Im willing to bet my dad knows where and when it was taken. Theres nothing quite like catching rainbows in western ...
http://www.pdxsurreal.com ...20/happy-fathers-day/

27. Purse Lip Square Jaw: Happy Father's Day
Sunday, June 19 Happy Father's Day This is my favourite picture of me and my dad. On the back, in my mother's handwriting, it reads "June 1974 - Greece" and below, "Anne and Daddy at the seaside". I ...
http://www.purselipsquare ...happy-fathers-day.php

28. Pete's Blog » Blog Archive » Happy Father’s Day!
... Happy Fathers Day! Sunday, June 19th, 2005 at 4:01 pm by Pete My dad died a few years back. I miss him a bunch. So this is for all the Sons and Daughters out there who forgot today. Call your dad ...
http://www.petesblog.com/ ...19/happy-fathers-day/

29. McCord: Happy Father's Day!!
... Further Navel Gazing) | Main | The Important Questions » June 20, 2004 Happy Father's Day!! [ Email This Post ] Arica sez: Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there...but especially to our dads ...
http://lancemccord.com/ar ...happy_fathers_day.php

30. writersbloc: Happy Father's Day!
... June 20, 2004 Happy Father's Day! I called my Dad at 8:30 am to wish him a Happy Father's Day because I knew he'd be up. Turns out, Mom and Dad are one foot out the door to march in some pro-Israel ...
http://www.writersbloc.bi .../happy_fathers_d.html

31. Happy Father's Day: Maui Queen.com
... Kapalua Clambake Pro-Am Golf Tournament (June 18-20) | Maui Queen | Slack Key Guitar Festival ª June 20, 2004 Happy Father's Day Any man can be a Father, but it takes a special person to be called ...
http://www.mauiqueen.com/archives/000341.shtml

32. Happy Father's Day poster
... Sports Still Life Television Transportation Video Games Vintage World Culture Preferences Happy Father's Day Size : 10.00 x 8.00 inches Price: $8.99 Category : Bears / Polar Bear Artist :Quint Meza ...
http://www.poster-explore ...'s+Day__10266170.html

33. Happy Father's Day Bear: WarmestThoughts
... Toy Boxes Tables & More Personalized Videos & Music CD's Your basket is currently empty Happy Father's Day Bear Quantity in Basket:none Code: MB-19 Price:$39.00 Shipping Weight: 0.00 pounds Bear ...
http://www.warmestthought ...B-19&Category_Code=MB

34. Noee's 2 cents: Happy Father's Day
... June 20, 2005 Happy Father's Day I must say it was a good father's day for me. Yeah for me. Me and my dad's relationship is not the typical father-daughter relationship. He's more a friend to me. (My ...
http://www.noeesnook.com/ .../archives/000282.html