Sunday, Sept. 8 is National Grandparents Day, a day meant to celebrate grandparents. Grandparents are oftentimes the beginnings of a living three generational family Grandparents continue to help hold families together.
The day was celebrated for the first time in Poland in 1965. In the United States, it’s always the first Sunday following Labor Day.
Marian McQuade, a West Virginia housewife, is recognized as the founder of the day. McQuade educated the youth in her community about the important contributions senior citizens have made in their community and in the country, throughout history. She urged the youth to adopt a grandparent for a lifetime and not simply just one day a year. But her efforts spurred the start of grandparents day, where grandparents are recognized for their help and love and wisdom.
The statute that President Jimmy Carter signed proclaimed that this was a day to “honor grandparents, to give grandparents an opportunity to show love for their children’s children, and to help children become aware of strength, information, and guidance older people can offer.”