Family Day - A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children
WHEREAS, families provide children the encouragement, support, and love they need to become confident, compassionate, and successful members of society.
WHEREAS, the nurturing and development of our families require investment, focus, and commitment.
WHEREAS, we must work together to promote and preserve the health and security of our families by upholding the timeless values that have sustained our society through history.
WHEREAS, the use of illegal and prescription drugs and the abuse of alcohol and nicotine constitute great threats to the well-being of America’s children.
WHEREAS, research conducted by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University has consistently shown that the more often children eat dinner with their parents, the less likely children are to smoke, drink, or use drugs.
WHEREAS, parents should be the most prominent and active figures in their children’s lives; by spending more family time together, parents can better engage their children and encourage them to make the right choices.
WHEREAS, strong families make strong and drug-free communities; by taking time to develop positive and open relationships with their children, parents help fight the war on drugs and encourage positive choices.
WHEREAS, across Alaska, citizens, schools, and civic institutions can assist families by helping to meet the needs of all those who live in our communities; as we work together to strengthen our families, we will build hope and opportunity for all.
WHEREAS, family dinners have long constituted a substantial pillar of family life in America.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Sarah Palin, Governor of the state of Alaska, do hereby proclaim
September 22, 2008 as:
Family Day
A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children
in Alaska, and encourage all families to sit down to dinner together today and every day throughout the year.
Dated: September 23, 2008