Father’s Day is not an official public holiday in the US, and yet it is a widely accepted and very important day for the majority of the US population. Father’s Day falls on the third Sunday of every June – this year on June 19th. It is a day for honoring the men who play the vital role of father, dad, daddy, papa, grandpa… and all other loving names for the ones who light up our lives by supporting and caring for us as only a father can.
First of all, we recognize and appreciate every father working at AMS Fulfillment, and all of the fathers in our local communities. What would we do without you? You support us, protect us, provide for us and guide us, and you deserve more than a pretty card, a lunch out, or a gift. You deserve recognition of the vital role you play in all of our lives.
One of the events that led to the establishment of Father’s Day was a mining accident in West Virginia in which many fathers were killed. These fathers were working to support their families, and they died because they were working in terribly unsafe conditions. According to publicholidays.com the 1907 memorial service to these men inspired the idea of a permanent Father’s Day.
The article goes on to say, “But it was Sonora Dodd who led the charge to make Father’s Day a holiday. Her father’s efforts at raising both her and her five siblings after the death of their mother motivated her to campaign for Father’s Day, and her efforts paid off with the first Father’s Day celebration held on the 19th of June 1910. Momentum increased in the years and decades ahead as successive Presidents including Woodrow Wilson and Calvin Coolidge supported the idea of Father’s Day. Lyndon Johnson proclaimed the third Sunday of June as Father’s Day in 1966. And, ultimately, President Richard Nixon made the observance permanent in 1972.”
We’ve included below two Father’s Day messages, shared with our blog, from people we know well… Jay Catlin, AMS CEO, and Betty-Lou Wiseman, President of AMS West. These messages certainly tell us that whether you are a daughter or a son, having a father who inspires you is a great treasure.
From Jay Catlin:
“I don’t know if my dad sees himself as a mentor to me, but he has quietly been an amazing guide on my path and journey. You don’t always see it, especially in the early years of life as you stumble your way into adulthood, but he has shown me the way. The incredible energy he put forward every day in raising his two boys, in supporting charitable causes, and in building successful businesses as an entrepreneur… I learned from his example that you get out what you put in, and he poured himself into all of it. He earned his way from very humble beginnings through hard work, determination, love and intelligence, and gave me the chance to prove that I could do the same and experience that personal fulfillment on my own. I am blessed to have David as my father, my friend, my guide and my mentor.”
From Betty-Lou Wiseman:
“My Dad taught me to be part of community volunteering. He was chief of the Millerton Volunteer Fire Department for many years and an active member for over 25 years. His community was important to him being from a small town as this has been passed down to me as I have the same strong mindset that he did with Single Mothers Outreach and now being on the board of the Boys and Girls Club of Ventura. Happy Father’s Day and thank you!”
We want every father to know, on this commemorative day, just how important your example is to your sons and daughters. We also want to appreciate the men who play the father role in helping a child who doesn’t have a father. Keep on being an example of a father’s love and father’s inspiration!
Happy Father’s Day! We Value You!
Photo credit: Tim Mossinger