Thursday Thoughts about Father's Day -

The idea of Father’s Day was thought up by Sonora Dodd of Spokane, Wash., while she listened to a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909. Dodd wanted a special day to honor her father, William Smart, a widowed Civil War veteran who was left to raise his six children on a farm. A day in June was chosen for the first Father’s Day celebration — 100 years ago, June 19, 1910, proclaimed by Spokane’s mayor because it was the month of Smart’s birth.

Fun Facts About Fathers

There are 67.8 million fathers in America.

There are 25.8 million raising three or more children younger than 18

There were 1.7 million single fathers in 2009.

On average, Americans spend $91 on gifts for dad’s big day, according a survey the National Retail Federation released in June 2009. Overall, Father’s Day gifts will cost $9.4 billion. By category, we expect to spend:

$1.9 billion on an outing such as dinner or a sports event
$1.3 billion on clothing
$1.2 billion on gift cards
$1 billion on electronics
$548 million on books or CDs
$522 million on home improvement items
$502 million on sporting goods.

Here are some photos sent in by readers to honor their dads! Keep them coming! We have a few more days!

This is a picture of my dear, sweet Daddy just a couple of months before he died. He was our rock! I miss him soooo much! Pam

Mary A writes:

A photo of Robert F. Bell on the porch at Bellview Church of Christ includes 3 of the things he loved; his Bible, a cigarette, and his leather hat. The well-worn Bible was he mainstay, and he seriously tried to follow it to the best of his knowledge and lead his family to do the same. The cigarette was a pleasure to him that was not, in those days, a guilty one–he was blissfully unaware of the harm it might cause him or those around him. The leather hat was the little “pride” thing that he loved to wear when he ‘dressed up’. We would brag on how nice he looked and tongue-in-cheek he would say, “I can’t help it”….. A wonderfully fun, admirable, smart, strong, good, lovable man.

FYI- Mary A’s father happens to be my grandfather. He died just a few weeks before my wedding. He was an awesome man!