The first Sunday after Labor Day used to be just an average,
ordinary day. Thanks to Marian McQuade of West Virginia, all that
changed in 1978 when the first national Grandparents' Day was
celebrated. This one day a year has been set aside in America, and now
Canada, to celebrate the important and lasting contributions senior
citizens have on younger generations.
While Grandparents' Day has been on the calendar for quite some time, its original tale dates back even further. The story of Grandparents' Day, in fact, began long before the first national observance was held. McQuade, a coal miner's wife, began her quest to obtain national recognition for the contributions of senior citizens in 1970. She began her mission by gaining attention for the idea through church, civic and business groups. Before too long, she garnered the attention of Senator Jennings Randolph. By 1973, she had captured the imagination of West Virginia Governor Arch Moore, who declared a Grandparents' Day in his state.
While obtaining state-level recognition only took three years, McQuade would face a bigger challenge on the national level. Despite Randolph's assistance, a resolution to create the day of recognition did not make it out of committee in the United States Senate in 1973. While this might have shaken the resolve of someone else, this was not the case with McQuade, a mother of 15 and grandmother of 40. She was undaunted.
To make sure the day came about, McQuade and her supporters began a national campaign. With help from the media, people across the country began contacting politicians in every state. Letters went out to governors, congressmen, churches, businesses and other organizations. By 1978, McQuade's efforts paid off and the first Sunday after Labor Day was declared a national holiday through a proclamation that was signed by President Jimmy Carter.
McQuade's vision was for Grandparents' Day to serve several important purposes. She wanted the holiday to, first and foremost, honor grandparents. She also envisioned this as a special day for grandparents to spend time showing their love for their grandchildren. The idea was to have an observance that would help make certain children knew just how much older people have to offer them in regard to information, support, guidance and love.
Although it was McQuade's quest to create a family day with grandparents at the center of attention, she did not overlook other senior citizens in her plan. The day has a special focus on shut-ins and homebound elderly, as well. On Grandparents' Day, it is suggested that people go above and beyond to include elders without families in their own celebrations. McQuade suggested that people without their own grandparents "adopt" one to create a lasting tie with. Foster Grandparent programs have since sprung up to match seniors with youth for such purposes.
Grandparents' Day owes its existence to the perseverance and determination of a coal miner's wife from West Virginia. Today, this national holiday has grown in popularity and continues to bring attention to the many contributions senior citizens have made and continue to make.
While Grandparents' Day has been on the calendar for quite some time, its original tale dates back even further. The story of Grandparents' Day, in fact, began long before the first national observance was held. McQuade, a coal miner's wife, began her quest to obtain national recognition for the contributions of senior citizens in 1970. She began her mission by gaining attention for the idea through church, civic and business groups. Before too long, she garnered the attention of Senator Jennings Randolph. By 1973, she had captured the imagination of West Virginia Governor Arch Moore, who declared a Grandparents' Day in his state.
While obtaining state-level recognition only took three years, McQuade would face a bigger challenge on the national level. Despite Randolph's assistance, a resolution to create the day of recognition did not make it out of committee in the United States Senate in 1973. While this might have shaken the resolve of someone else, this was not the case with McQuade, a mother of 15 and grandmother of 40. She was undaunted.
To make sure the day came about, McQuade and her supporters began a national campaign. With help from the media, people across the country began contacting politicians in every state. Letters went out to governors, congressmen, churches, businesses and other organizations. By 1978, McQuade's efforts paid off and the first Sunday after Labor Day was declared a national holiday through a proclamation that was signed by President Jimmy Carter.
McQuade's vision was for Grandparents' Day to serve several important purposes. She wanted the holiday to, first and foremost, honor grandparents. She also envisioned this as a special day for grandparents to spend time showing their love for their grandchildren. The idea was to have an observance that would help make certain children knew just how much older people have to offer them in regard to information, support, guidance and love.
Although it was McQuade's quest to create a family day with grandparents at the center of attention, she did not overlook other senior citizens in her plan. The day has a special focus on shut-ins and homebound elderly, as well. On Grandparents' Day, it is suggested that people go above and beyond to include elders without families in their own celebrations. McQuade suggested that people without their own grandparents "adopt" one to create a lasting tie with. Foster Grandparent programs have since sprung up to match seniors with youth for such purposes.
Grandparents' Day owes its existence to the perseverance and determination of a coal miner's wife from West Virginia. Today, this national holiday has grown in popularity and continues to bring attention to the many contributions senior citizens have made and continue to make.
No comments:
Post a Comment