National Seniors Day
On August 19, 1988, President Ronald Reagan introduced Proclamation 5847 to the United States of America. The proclamation, signed on that day, declared August 21 as National Senior Citizens Day in the United States, to be celebrated every year in celebration of the elderly in America.
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“Throughout our history, older people have achieved much for our families, our communities, and our country,” the proclamation reads. “That remains true today, and gives us ample reason this year to reserve a special day in honor of the senior citizens who mean so much to our land.”
This year marks the 27th year National Seniors Day will be celebrated. It’s a day to be spent in sheer gratitude of the generations that came before us. These are the generations that paved the path to freedom with industry and social progress, through wars and depressions, for the absolute preservation of the liberties and luxuries they yearned for – the same liberties and luxuries they wanted future generations to experience.
National Seniors Day is the one day of the year purposefully designed to encourage the cherishment of our country’s older population. And though that cherishment is something that should happen every day of the year, this is a day for the entire nation to honor its elderly population together – to spend valuable time with elderly family members, to volunteer at a nursing home or to tell your elderly neighbors how much you appreciate their friendship.
After all, Ronald Reagan said it best:
“For all they have achieved throughout life and for all they continue to accomplish, we owe older citizens our thanks and a heartfelt salute. We can best demonstrate our gratitude and esteem by making sure that our communities are good places in which to mature and grow older — places in which older people can participate to the fullest and can find the encouragement, acceptance, assistance, and services they need to continue to lead lives of independence and dignity.”