Thursday, June 25, 2015
Thursday, June 18, 2015
Happy Father's Day from Waterford Estates!
Some scholars say Father’s Day can be traced to over 4,000 years ago to the ruins of Babylon. There is recorded a young boy called Elmesu, who carved a Father’s Day message on a card made out of clay, wishing his father good health and long life. From this point on, several countries around the globe have remained in this custom of celebrating fathers.
Modern history tells us this tradition is owed to Miss Sonora Dodd of Spokane, Washington. This woman is said to have heard a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909 and felt there should be an equal celebration for fathers. She felt strongly about making this a celebration because of the great role and affection her father showed her. Dodd was inspired by activist Anna Jarvis’ struggle to promote Mother’s Day and thus began a campaign to get Washington State on board to make Father’s Day a holiday. Her efforts were received well and rewarded when in June 1910, Washington State celebrated its first Father’s Day.
Though there was initial hesitation, the idea gradually gained popularity around the US and came to be a common celebration in many cities and states. During each of their presidential terms, President Wilson and Coolidge both approved and supported this idea of Father’s Day in order to “establish more intimate relations between fathers and their children and to impress upon fathers the full measure of their obligations.” After 4 decades of struggling back and forth over declaring it a holiday, finally in 1966, President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation declaring the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day. Afterwards, in 1972, President Nixon established a permanent national observance of Father’s Day.
Let’s take this opportunity to thank all the fathers and pay tribute to them. Let’s join with the world and celebrate the fathers, grandfathers, uncles, stepfathers and any other person who has played the role of a father in each of our lives.
Thursday, June 11, 2015
Celebrating Flag Day
On June 14, 1777, the adoption of the ‘stars and stripes’
became the official flag for the United States. For centuries now, people have
celebrated ‘Flag Day,’ on June 14, but what does that mean and why do we
celebrate it? First, let’s take a look back into history of the flag and its
significance for the United States.
According to history, in June 1776, George Washington
commissioned a Philadelphian seamstress, Betsy Ross, to create an official flag
for the new nation in anticipation of declaring its independence. The following
year, John Adams spoke about the design of the flag at a Continental Congress
meeting in Philadelphia. He said the flag of the United States shall be
“thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the Union be 13 stars, white
on a blue field.” Stars have been added as states have entered the Union and
the most current version was July 4, 1960, when Hawaii became the 50th state.
The
first origination of Flag Day is said to have happened in 1885 when a
schoolteacher in Wisconsin deemed June 14 as “Flag Birthday.” For years after,
this teacher continued to enthusiastically advocate this “Flag Birthday” in
multiple news articles and public addresses. He started a trend, because for
the next century, teachers and their classrooms, board members and various
societies across the country began to celebrate Flag Day. In one striking
public address by Franklin K. Lane, Secretary of the Interior, given in 1914 to
commemorate Flag Day, he beautifully depicts the symbolism the flag holds for
the United States:
“I
am what you make me; nothing more. I swing before your eyes as a bright gleam
of color, a symbol of yourself.”
Fast
forward to the twentieth century, when President Woodrow Wilson, in May 1916,
issued a presidential proclamation establishing a national Flag Day on June 14.
While Flag Day was celebrated in various communities across the nation, it
wasn’t until August 1949 that President Truman signed an Act of Congress
designating this day of each year as National Flag Day.
Since it’s been
deemed a national observance (and to some an official holiday), many Americans
celebrate Flag Day by displaying their version of Red, White and Blue in front
of their homes and businesses. Other ways to celebrate and pay respect to this
symbol of our nation’s independence are by doing things such as saying the
pledge of allegiance, singing the national anthem or ‘Star-Spangled Banner’
before a baseball game, or a simple pledge to the flag, “Old Glory,” as a
symbol of the United States’ democracy and independence. Saluting an American
flag is also another easy way to celebrate and honor the great United States of
America. Join the rest of the nation on June 14, 2015, as they honor and pay
respect to Old Glory for staying true to the red, white and blue.
Thursday, June 4, 2015
Summer Outdoor Activities for Seniors
Although our retirement community offers a variety of
activities that are already planned, it is good to have a healthy balance of
doing things with just you and your spouse, a few friends, or even family
members. According to agingcare.com, simple activities in the outdoors,
regardless of what it is, are “going to be mentally uplifting.” This site says
instead of focusing on what you can’t do or being overwhelmed by potential
challenges, focus on what you can do and enjoy. Here are some suggestions from
agingcare.com:
1. Catch a sporting event. This could be a grandchild's
soccer game or attending a professional game.
2. Fish for fun. For folks who enjoy fishing, you can
cast a rod from a pier or other location, even if someone is wheelchair bound.
3. Be a tourist. If you live in a city, take an open-air
bus or trolley tour to see the local sights. Another option could be a boat tour.
4. Take a dip. For some folks, it may just be putting a
foot in the pool, while others may be able to handle low-impact water aerobics.
5. Stroll around. If a walk is possible, start slow. Try
three or four minutes in one direction, turning around and coming back.
6. Be a bird lover. If you have a birdhouse, bird feeder
or bird bath in your yard, checking on those daily can give someone a reason to
go outside.
7. Pedal around. Rent a three-wheeled bicycle, which are
easier to mount and ride, and also could offer back support.
8. Go fly a kite. Head to a park or beach and get a kite
soaring.
9. Picnic outdoors. Picnics are another park or
playground activity. It’s fun to watch children run around or enjoy the buzz of
outdoor activity.
10. Celebrate the holidays. From Memorial Day concerts to
Fourth of July fireworks, there are plenty of community events this spring and
summer with opportunities for seniors to get out and be part of the crowd, all
of which we offer at our community!
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