The President’s Father’s Day Proclamation for 2010
Proclamation 8537 of June 18, 2010
Father’s Day, 2010
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
From the first moments of life, the bond forged between
a father and a child is sacred. Whether patching
scraped knees or helping with homework, dads bring joy,
instill values, and introduce wonders into the lives of
their children. Father’s Day is a special time to honor
the men who raised us, and to thank them for their
selfless dedication and love.
Fathers are our first teachers and coaches, mentors and
role models. They push us to succeed, encourage us when
we are struggling, and offer unconditional care and
support. Children and adults alike look up to them and
learn from their example and perspective. The journey
of fatherhood is both exhilarating and humbling–it is
an opportunity to model who we want our sons and
daughters to become, and to build the foundation upon
which they can achieve their dreams.
Fatherhood also carries enormous responsibilities. An
active, committed father makes a lasting difference in
the life of a child. When fathers are not present,
their children and families cope with an absence
government cannot fill. Across America, foster and
adoptive fathers respond to this need, providing safe
and loving homes for children facing hardships. Men are
also making compassionate commitments outside the home
by serving as mentors, tutors, or big brothers to young
people in their community. Together, we can support the
guiding presence of male role models in the lives of
countless young people who stand to gain from it.
Nurturing families come in many forms, and children may
be raised by a father and mother, a single father, two
fathers, a step-father, a grandfather, or caring
guardian. We owe a special debt of gratitude for those
parents serving in the United States Armed Forces and
their families, whose sacrifices protect the lives and
liberties of all American children. For the character
they build, the doors they open, and the love they
provide over our lifetimes, all our fathers deserve our
unending appreciation and admiration.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, in accordance with a joint
resolution of the Congress approved April 24, 1972, as
amended (36 U.S.C. 109), do hereby proclaim June 20,
2010, as Father’s Day. I direct the appropriate
officials of the Government to display the flag of the
United States on all Government buildings on this day,
and I call upon all citizens to observe this day with
appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities. Let
us honor our fathers, living and deceased, with all the
love and gratitude they deserve.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
eighteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord two
thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.
(Presidential Sig.)