More than a century ago, Sonora Louis Smart Dodd aspired to create a holiday to honor fathers. Dodd, the daughter of a single father and Civil War veteran, was inspired by a Mother’s Day sermon and wondered why there was no holiday for fathers. After securing support from ministers in Spokane, Wash., her idea came to fruition with the first Father’s Day celebration at the Spokane YMCA on June 19, 1910.
On Sunday, June 15, the Greater Joliet Area YMCA joins the nation in celebrating Father’s Day and recognizing the impact fathers and adult male role models make in children’s lives. Nationally, one out of three children lives in a home without their biological father, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
And, societal factors such as unemployment, work-life balance or a lack of resources can affect fathers’ ability to seek support in strengthening their parenting skills and more fully engaging in the lives of their children. A leading nonprofit in fostering positive youth development, the Y remains dedicated to providing resources and opportunities for fathers to further involve themselves in the well-being and development of their children.
In this photo, I was probably about eight-years-old, and my brother was about six. My mom signed us up for a week of day camp (like Galowich’s), where you went every day for a week. Our camp was at an actual campsite, though. We were bused from a local grade school to the campsite each day. I remember playing a lot of outdoor games, especially capture the flag. I was pretty little, so I remember being disappointed that I was captured so early in the game.