For The Boys

 

  The third Sunday in June has been assigned to give shout-outs to awesome fathers everywhere and it is older than people think. While mums have been honoured since the ancient Roman and Greek days, dads kind of took the back seat until 100 years ago.

  The concept of recognizing Mother's Day is older than Father's Day, but Father's Day is actually older by a couple of years.

  After hearing a church service recognizing the newly-formed International Women's Day and its honouring of mums, Sonora Smart Dodd decided that fathers deserved some special treatment. Her father was widowed and raised his 6 kids without outside interference and was a Civil War veteran. She intended for the celebration to occur on June 5th, her father's birthday, but church organizers and the YWCA needed a couple of weeks to prepare, so the date became the third Sunday as opposed to the first.
  On June 19th, 1910 church members donned red roses in honour of their living rad dads and white as a sign of respect for the sacrifices of their dead ones. Single fathers and shut-ins had gifts delivered to them.

  Not everybody warmed up to the idea of bestowing such an honour on dads. People thought it as meaningless or equated it with sissiness. Numerous presidents petitioned for Congress to recognize the day, and other countries thought it a fantastic idea, but it wasn't until Nixon signed it into law that the unofficial occasion became a bona fide holiday. See, Nixon wasn't ALL bad.

  While you are giving the love to your pop today, also wish Father's Day a happy 100th birthday. Not all dads are as selfless and brave as Bill Smart, but they are all rad in their own little ways. Buy him lunch, take him fishing, or install that light fixture so he doesn't electrocute himself on a day made just for the men.