Serving Franklin County, WA
Serving Franklin County, WA
From cars to bigfoot to high-speed sprint boats, you don’t have to look very far to find something to do this weekend.
But dad won’t care if you take him somewhere or just spend time with him. For dad, Father’s Day isn’t about spending money, it’s about time – time to connect, reflect and enjoy each other’s company.
Dads spend a lifetime taking care of the needs of their children. Through their children’s formative years into college, fathers bring structure, discipline, logic and focus to a child’s life. Dads offer advice, wisdom and more to their adult children.
Indeed, active, biological fathers make a tremendous difference in the lives of children.
Statistics show children growing up with their real dad are less likely to have emotional and behavioral problems. They are less likely to get into drugs or become criminals and less likely to live in poverty. Statistics show the presence of dad is a factor in reducing teen pregnancy, delinquency and obesity.
Father’s Day – this Sunday, June 18 – is an opportunity to reflect on and recognize what your dad, as well as other dads in your circle, have brought into your life.
The best way to do that is to spend time with dear old dad.
The first Father’s Day was celebrated June 19, 1910, in Spokane. Resident Sonora Smart Dodd wanted to do something special for her father – a veteran, he raised her and her five siblings alone. But it took 46 years before President Lyndon Johnson proclaimed the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day.
Today, Father’s Day weekend is loaded with activities that are perfect ways to treat and spend time with dad. There are golf tournaments, sprint boat races, rodeos and more. There’s a bigfoot symposium in Spokane and old-fashioned hometown celebrations planned in Medical Lake and in Tekoa.
There are great fishing opportunities on the Snake River, Lake Roosevelt and the numerous trout lakes from St. John to Medical Lake.
And we’re just getting started.
But while there’s a lot to do around the region this weekend, dad will be just as happy to stay home, grill some burgers and spend time with family. Take time to celebrate the dads in your life this weekend.
Talk about the important things in life. Reconnect. And remember, you wouldn’t be here if you didn’t have a dad.
Happy Father’s Day.
— Roger Harnack is the publisher of Free Press Publishing. Email him at [email protected].
Roger Harnack is the co-owner/publisher of Free Press Publishing. Having grown up Benton City, Roger is an award-winning journalist, photographer, editor and publisher. He's one of only two editorial/commentary writers from Washington state to ever receive the international Golden Quill. Roger is dedicated to the preservation of local media, and the voice it retains for Eastern Washington.
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