Her name was Sonora Louise Smart Dodd and she lived in Spokane, Washington. Sonora was the oldest of six children raised by their father, William Jackson Smart, when their mother died during childbirth. Sonora honored and revered her father, and while listening to a Mother's Day sermon in 1909, she determined there should also be a day to honor fathers.

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Sonora gained local support and made her dream a reality one year later within her own city of Spokane, Washington. Sonora married John Bruce Dodd. She died March 22, 1978, several years after Father's Day became a permanent national observance.

Why June?

In 1910 Sonora chose June 19th as the day to celebrate Father's Day because that was her father's birthday. With support from the Spokane Ministerial Association and the YMCA, the first Father's Day was celebrated in Spokane on June 19, 1910.

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When did the United States begin celebrating Father's Day?

1910 Spokane, Washington celebrates Father's Day.
1924 President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed the third Sunday in June as Father's Day.
1926 The formation of National Father's Day Committee in New York City.
1956 Father's Day was recognized by Joint Resolution of Congress.
1966 President Lyndon B. Johnson signed a presidential proclamation declaring that the third Sunday of June as Father's Day.
1972 President Richard Nixon established a permanent national observance of Father's Day to be held on the third Sunday in June.

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Do other countries celebrate Father's Day?

Father's Day is celebrated in every part of the world. In the United States, Canada and most countries in Asia, Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday in June.

How can I make this Father's Day special for my Father?

There are all kinds of things you can do to make Father's Day special for your dad. Here are a few suggestions:

1. Make dad breakfast in bed.

2. Send him flowers, the red rose is the official Father's Day flower.

3. Do secret acts of kindness, this might include doing one of dad's chores for him, like taking out the garbage :)
           

4. Be obedient.

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5. Plan a travel for father, if you know where he want to go, that should be better.

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6. Do your chores, without being asked.
7. Get along with your brothers and sisters.

Spice up the Father's Day festivities with an activity or two.

1. Interview your father and/or grandfather. Ask questions about his birth, childhood, and what he did when he was a teenager. Find out favorite subjects in school, how he met your mother or grandmother. Inquire about his favorite job. End the interview by expressing your love for him.

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2. Get together with a few other families and play the Father/Child Game. Divide into four father/child teams. Ask the fathers to leave the room while the children sit in chairs. Ask the same four or five questions to each child about their fathers. Bring in the fathers and ask them the same questions. Will the father and child have the same answers? Switch places and see how well the father's know the children. Award a red rose to the winning father/child team.

Question Ideas: Favorite color, movie, candy bar, color of toothbrush, memorable moment with you, best friend, hobby, talent, food, animal, cartoon, pizza topping, ice cream topping, restaurant. Most embarrassing moment. Favorite holiday.

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3. Have a Father's Day BBQ or picnic. Make a crown for dad and let him know he's "King" for the day. This can be a family activity or extend an invitation to a few other families also. Make sure all the dad's are given "Royal Treatment".

Happy Father's Day

Mothers give birth, they help us to see the light of the day. Fathers shape our strength. They nurture our tiny little minds, help to grow them, encourage to generate energy...they scream when we run in the race, hug us when we win one, scold us when necessary and again wipe out our tears in rainy days and whenever we look behind, we fall from our stands, we admit our faults, we are in severe despair... it is our dad, always behind us. From the rays of blistering sun to the smooth full moon nights, he is there as the pillar of power and strength. They love us and so do we, but very often we express the deepest feelings. With all his charms he guides, he stands by our sides and Father's Day is perhaps the most unique time to thank our dads for their wholesome dedication.

All around the world this celebration takes a twist and is been celebrated with lots of energies and happiness. The celebration takes place in often both inside and outside our homes. Jerry Miguel of Columbia, a father of a 6 year lad, exclaims, “It is an awesome feeling to be a father. When you return your home and a kid starts nagging with all sorts of complains... you often feel disturbed, but trust me it is such a disturbance that you love the most, as much as you can't live without it.”

Celebration not only means a hard core party, because many households from all corners of the globe celebrate it in their houses itself. People, specially kids share a huge amount of interest and enthusiasm to greet their dads. They color their rooms, decorate them with home made papers and drawings, affix balloons and posters on the walls and give it a Christmas like celebration mood and look. Party animals always party in Father's day. They arrange pool parties or even a banquet to celebrate the day with their fathers and drink a lot with their papas.