This father and son team has competed in thousands of marathons and triathlons. Born in 1962, son Rick has cerebral palsy, and his dad pushes him in a special wheelchair, carries him on a special bicycle and pulls him in a small boat as he swims. They have competed in more than 1,100 events including dozens of Boston Marathons. Dick began this amazing lifetime of accomplishment with his son in 1977 when he was 36 years old.
Father’s Day began in Spokane, Washington, when Sonora Smart Dodd wanted to honor her Civil War veteran dad, William Jackson Smart, who had raised six children alone. Attempts were made by several presidents to make it a nationally recognized holiday. In 1966 President Lyndon Johnson proclaimed the third Sunday in June as a day to honor fathers. President Richard Nixon signed it into law in 1972.
Creative ways you can honor your father. Fathers everywhere work hard and make amazing sacrifices for their families. Take some time to create lasting memories honoring him in ways that go beyond the standard greeting card and new necktie.
- Hire a landscape maintenance company to do the mowing, edging and clipping for the summer. Give dad a break from the summer heat so that he can relax. Costs vary depending on where you live, the size of the landscape and the services you want, but can start as low as $200 per month.
- Buy him a digital photo display such as Nix or Pix-Star, starting at $40 up to $160. Load it with pictures of dad with the kids, with mom, on adventures and all the other great memories he’ll love reliving.
- For a bigger investment, upgrade his outdoor grill, or buy new outdoor furniture for the whole family to relax together on balmy summer nights. Or thrill him with an upgrade to a new 4K Ultra HDTV, starting in the mid-$300 range. Sports and his favorite movies will feel like “being there” with this immersive television experience.
