Dear Editor:
On Sunday, Sept. 11, we will celebrate Grandparents’ Day. This day was started through the efforts of Marion McQuade of Oak Hill, WV, mother and grandmother, and became a national holiday in 1978. Marion recognized that we should hold grandparents in respect and dignity and make every effort to assure their independence, good health and a comfortable later life.
Many folks in our area are grandparents and we certainly all had grandparents. More and more of our citizens are living to an older age. 20 percent of Greenbrier County citizens are over the age of 65 and today, over 4 million grandparents are the primary caregivers of their grandchildren. Some grandparents live far away from their families. Some even have families that live in other countries. So this is a day for us to remember and honor all the grandparents in our local communities. In our area, both the Greenbrier Co. Committee on Aging and the Shepherd’s Center provide services and enrichment activities for seniors that allow them to live independently and safely. Many older citizens are also in local assisted living and nursing facilities.
We are encouraging both adults and kids to remember and honor grandparents not only on Sept. 11, but every day. Grandparents can share their wisdom and experience, and in turn benefit from the enthusiasms and energies of youth. So on Grandparents’ Day remember our grandparents and give a special salute and thank you for their many contributions to our families and communities – a call, a visit, a card – “something grand for a grandparent.”
Sincerely,
Gloria Martin
Board Past President
Gbr. Co. Committee on Aging