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:

A Unique Gift for Father's Day: A Membership for an Online Dating
Bored with the old socks, shirt, tie and books ideas for Father'sday. If your Dad is single, give him the gift of a lifetime: A membership to an online dating site! help him get the realtionship he always wanted and long From A Unique Gift for Father's Day: A Membership for an Online Dating
Scotsman - BBC's founding father was not a natural family man
HE FOUNDED the world's most famous broadcasting organisation, and his values - to educate, inform and entertain - permeate the BBC to the present day.
Randolph offers cyclists unique routes
Biking on Randolph County's roads will be a unique experience for Cycle North Carolina participants who will discover "gently rolling hills, river valleys and forest land." That's the present-day description of ...Comment

Your Best Fathers Day Resources:

1. La Salette Journey
... is present in a particularly unique way in the Sacrament of the ... praise and glory of God the Father. This inestimable gift and ... to the next, down to the present day. Under Divine Providence ...
http://lasalettejourney.blogspot.com/

2. University church of Christ Vital Areas
... the present-day Student Center. University is a diverse church. A part of the family's unique story ... ... This speaks of a church that sees God as Father of all nations. Our Beliefs Our beliefs do not ...
http://www.universitycc.net/uccvital2.html

3. ::GIFT 4 BD .COM:: - Send Gifts to Bangladesh,Dhaka,Bangladeshi top e-commer...
... father day gift : father 27s day : father day joke : father day gift online : first father day : unique present father day : father day candy : father day gift suggestion : father day flower : free ...
http://www.gift4bd.com/

4. Raffaelloties
... gift basket, father day greeting card, father s day, when is father day, father day present, father day date, unique father day gift, father day history, father day 2004, father day miami, father s ...
http://www.national-shopping.com/raffaelloties/

5. June 2004 | Gummibunny
... My Tambourine Man A one-of-a-kind dad deserves an equally unique present on Father's Day. No tie would do this year. Dad didn't need a noose around his neck to remind him of work. He needed something ...
http://www.gummibunny.com/archives/2004_06.html

6. father day gifts , UK father day gifts
... commission the ultimate unique gift for that big occasion and the ideal present for the person who ... ... day.gift.pageoneexclusive.co.uk/ Christian Day Father Gift ... Christian Day Father Gift ...
http://www.search4what.ne ...her day gifts&site=UK

7. Unique Corporate Gift
... Updated: 20/02/2005 unique corporate gift, father day present, gift idea for an anniversary Refer unique corporate gift Stop searching for unique corporate gift, father day present, gift idea for an ...
http://corporate-gift.biz ...corporate-gift/4.html

8. mobile » 2005 » August
mobile Archive for August, 2005 ´ Previous Entries Wednesday, August 31st, 2005 Unique present father day content= / = / = / = / Posted in mobile | No Comments ª Wednesday, August 31st, 2005 Umax ...
http://mobile.cheaper-prices.info/?m=200508

9. birthday gift unique mother day gift gourmet food gift
... of makes - This gift basket Sister a unique present. Use it as a birthday gift basket - Gift ... ... A basket components to craft our baskets. - Father's Day Gift Baskets. Request gift Gift Basket ...
http://www.cruets.com/gif ...gourmet-food-gift.php

10. 30th Birthday Gift unusual woman Online
... unique-present-fathers-day " Father's Day Gifts " INTERNET RESOURCE DIRECTORY ... Birthday Gifts For Woman UK - Birthday Presents For Woman; Girl Birthday ... gift for man ... gift unusual birthday ...
http://www.googlegift.com ...ft-unusual-woman.html

11. day father gift online present | Gifts And Presents Online.
... online for unique father's day gift baskets. Many people think that God is present only at a ... ... Find great Father's Day present ideas and unique Send Father's Day gifts from RedEnvelope's Father ...
http://www.apresent4.co.u ...t_online_present.html

12. father day golf gift
... htm - Fathers Day Golf Gift Idea > Unique Father's Day Golf Gift > Green Buddy Switchblade ... ... gift, christmas golf gift idea, christmas golf present, holiday golf, Golf Gift for Christmas, Unique ...
http://www.fathersday.bep ...er-day-golf-gift.html

13. Seek 'Father day gift' related info here.
... for Men cookies and any other creative ways to present your Valentine's Day meal. The Gift of Time ... ... use on Web pages. Please read Father's day gifts, gifts for Dad, unique gift idea for dad, Photo ...
http://seekinfo.org/?q=father-day-gift

14. Shoreline Aerial Photography - Aerial Photos The Perfect Gift
... Whether it's for Father's Day, Mother's Day, an anniversary ... gift certificates that you can present on special occasions or use ... to surprise someone with a unique present? An aerial photo of ...
http://www.shoreline-aerial.com/examples/gift.htm

15. Gift - Unique Father Day Gifts
... Gift For Mom Unique Gift For Woman Unique Gift Idea Unique Gift Idea Christmas Present Unique Gift Idea For Father Day Unique Gift Idea For Him Unique Gift Idea For Man Unique Gift Idea For Mother ...
http://www.unique-gift-re ...uniquefatherdaygifts/

16. Tate Britain | About Tate Britain
... from the year 1500 to the present day, and international modern ... Hogarth, sometimes called the father of English painting; of the ... within the gallery, while the unique Turner Collection of about ...
http://www.tate.org.uk/britain/about.htm

17. Fishing Gift Certificates and printable gift certificates for Lake Lanier Fi...
... gifts, unique Father's Day gifts, graduation gifts, anniversary gifts, Valentine's Day gift ideas ... ... A recent bass fishing gift certificate birthday present for a guided trip with Harold Nash produced a ...
http://www.lanierfishingg ...giftcertificates.html

18. Shanneyganock - 2004 MIANL Entertainer of the Year
... learned accordion from his father and grandfather, says ... vanguard of the instruments present-day renaissance. His muscular ... as well as a singer with a unique and affecting voice. Andrews ...
http://www.shanneyganock.ca/theband.html

19. Disney Shopping at The LaughingPlace Store - Magic Quizdom (Paperback)
... 360 such questions. With its unique paragraph-length answers, the ... such trivia, updated to the present-day Disneyland. One thing Magic ... Answers 1. Who is the ìfather of all gods and goddesses?î D ...
http://www.laughingplacestore.com/Product-2334.asp

20. Father S Day Gift Ideas
... Any of these items would make a wonderful and unique present for any dad, grandpa or special man this Father's day. Be sure to check out the categories ... http://fccindy.kumbayah.o .../Fathers-Day ...
http://www.gift-ideaz.com/fathersdaygiftideas/

21. unique corporate gift, father day present, gift idea for an anniversary
unique corporate gift Stop searching for unique corporate gift, father day present, gift idea for an anniversary and also. Save third wedding anniversary gift without warning unique corporate gift ...
http://nontraditionalwedd ...porate_gift_fath.html

22. Dya Singh-Australia
... province on the border of present day India and Pakistan, south ... the world. He attributes his unique music to his birth and ... to staunch Sikh parents (his father was a Sikh missionary and ...
http://www.sikh.net/community/Dyasingh.htm

23. Fathers Day Gifts, Father's Day Gift Ideas, Fathers Day Gift Basket, Gifts f...
... Father's Day Gift Ideas Unique Father's Day Gift Ideas Gifts for Father's Day may be a mere ritual ... ... behind these gifts from his children. Here we present you with some cool gift ideas for dads who are ...
http://fathersday.indiase ...rs-day-gift-idea.html

24. New Sermons, Poetry, Writings of Preacher Doc
... of GOD's and CHRIST'S Divinity! This GOD's Day/Sunday, I will present said second most Powerful Proof in a unique way. Namely, Galileo, considered the father of modern science, presented his Proofs of ...
http://www.purechristians ...PreacherDoc.0001.html

25. corporate holiday gift basket
... a valentine gift online and save some ... christmas dog present ... corporate holiday gift ... gift leather cheap gift basket unique father day gift unique bridesmaid gift christmas gift idea for ...
http://www.1st-holiday-di ...iday-gift-basket.html

26. fishjewelrypage - Trout Jewelry Duck jewellery Bass smallmouth largemouth tr...
... Trocan Link Partners for Jewelry Father's day gift Click on image to enlarge Duck Jewelry Fish Jewelry Deer Jewelry Braided Silver chains Questions Size:H.5xW1" Size:¬H.5"xW1" Size:H1."xW.75" Size:¬ ...
http://www.choiceaccessories.com/otherproducts.htm

27. Letters and Statements
... Karma Kagyu lineage-holders to the present day, from teacher to student, from spiritual father to spiritual son. This unbroken lineage is our unique gift to the world, a world that needs ...
http://www.shamarpa.org/letters/heartson.htm

28. ☞ reference - Father Day Gift
... b> of your time ... Father day gift Tips for <b> ... gift</b>. Check out this unique gifts and give your <b> ... what he deserves. The ultimate present for fathersday. ... <b> ...
http://www.abc-reference.info/fatherdaygift/

29. Unique Father Day Gift
... father's day idea, fathers day gift idea, unique father day gift, fathers day present, personalized fathers day gift ... http://zshop.co.uk/fathers_day Fathers Day Gift Ideas UK ... Children'S ...
http://www.uniquegiftside .../UniqueFatherDayGift/

30. Fathers Day Gifts UK - Fathers Day Presents, Fathers Day Gift Ideas, Fathers...
... day gift online dad day father Fathers Day Gift UK - Fathers Day Present day days father gift idea dalyscrolls gift personalised unique day fathers free gifts day fathers gift ideas day father gift in ...
http://www.wedding-birthd ...fathers-day-gifts.htm

31. Gift idea - Gifts
... idea man anniversary present planning sports ... gift idea teen alfa 156 day gift idea valentine ... birthday gift idea unique gift graduate program ... lunch gift golf idea father day gift idea gift ...
http://gift-idea.coolindexes.com/

32. The Hollow Comprehensive Movie Review
... is the only hope to save his father Carl (Judge Reinhold) from a ... Scholar Overall Review Our unique search engine provides a ... fantasy story on present day Earth Horror film? Yes Kind ...
http://www.allwatchers.com/Topics/Info_32443.asp