Dad, your ideals and values became a part of me a long time ago, and they've been with me every step of the way as I've searched for my place in the world.

Your love and guidance have given me strength for the hard times. Because of you, I've been able to see the good in people and understand what really matters in life.

This Fathers Day, I just want you to know how much I appreciate the man that you are and to tell you I Love You.

THE HISTORY OF FATHERS DAY

CREATION

The creation of a national day for Dads began back in the 1900s when a grateful daughter wanted to express her deep appreciation for her own father. A gentleman by the name of William Smart, a civil war veteran, was widowed when his wife died in childbirth. Mr. Smart raised his six children on a rural farm in eastern Washington State. When Sonora Louise Smart Dodd, one of Mr. Smarts children, was grown she wanted to show her appreciation for her father. He had shown her a great love and strength in raising her and her siblings as a single parent. So, in 1909, she proposed a day to honor her father in June (the month of her father's birth).

FIRST FATHERS DAY

The very first Fathers' Day followed on June 19, 1910 in Spokane, Washington. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge showed support of this becoming a national holiday. However, it wasn't until 1966 when President Lyndon Johnson officially proclaimed Fathers' Day a national holiday to be celebrated on the 3rd Sunday of June.

Harry C. Meek

Harry C. Meek, president of the Lions Club in Chicago, was also a component in establishing Fathers' Day. He gave several speeches around the United States expressing the need for a day to honor our fathers. In 1920 the Lions Clubs of America presented him with a gold watch, with the inscription "Originator of Fathers' Day".

TRADITIONS

· If your father is living, wear a red rose.
· If your father has passed away, wear a white rose.
· A cookout usually prepared by Dad himself.
· The very creative tie as a gift.
· Give him a big hug.