When we were in elementary school we all learned the story of Thanksgiving. On Dec. 20, 1620, 102 pilgrims sailing aboard the Mayflower landed at Plymouth Rock. Struggling through a devastating winter, 46 of the pilgrims perished. But their fortunes improved and the harvest of 1621 was a bountiful one. The surviving pilgrims decided to celebrate their blessings with a feast. Recognizing they couldnt have survived without their assistance, the pilgrims invited 91 Native Americans to celebrate with them.
The day of Thanksgiving was celebrated on and off in a variety of ways throughout the next two centuries. In June of 1676, the governing council of Charlestown, Mass., unanimously voted to proclaim June 28 as a day of Thanksgiving. For the first time, in October of 1777, all 13 colonies joined together in a Thanksgiving celebration and it wasnt until 1789 that President George Washington proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed that the last Thursday in November would be a national day of Thanksgiving. In 1941, Congress sanctioned Thanksgiving as a legal holiday which is still celebrated today.
One of the changes over the years has been that Thanksgiving has gone from a community celebration to a celebration of family and friends. But we should not forget each year to take a few minutes to give thanks for all the good things and people which make our community a better place in which to live for all of our residents.
We should be thankful for all those who volunteer their time to organizations such as the Marysville Food Bank, the Arlington Food Bank and Operation Marysville Community Christmas for their efforts to ensure that all families in our community are able to celebrate the holidays. Those programs, and many others, would not be possible without the generous support of community members. We should also be thankful for all the members of the organizations, and scores of volunteers, who serve Thanksgiving dinners to local seniors and families in need.
We should also be thankful for all of our family members, friends, coworkers, neighbors and others who dedicate their time throughout the year in community service organizations which make our communities better places to call home and raise our children. Thousands of people in our communities belong to these organizations and their efforts have a positive impact on all of us. The Marysville Noon Rotary, for example, holds its annual Pumpkins for Literacy which raises thousands of dollars for local elementary schools for literacy programs. The Marysville Sunrise Rotary also makes significant contributions to Housing Hope and other local programs. The Rotary Club of Arlington is best known for its annual Duck Dash fundraiser during the Arlington Festival which supports local programs. There are also many other community service organizations working just as hard, making just as big a of a difference the Marysville Kiwanis, for instance,
just celebrated 50 years of service to
our community.
Thanks should go to the churches and local businesses that reach out to the community in various ways throughout the year.
Our thanks should also be given for the men and women, many of whom are volunteers, who serve in our police and fire departments. The tragic events of 9/11 gave us all a better understanding of and appreciation for their dedication and commitment to protect and serve all of us.
Our thanks should also go to all those serving in the military. They are fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, neighbors, classmates, church members, and others who are making sacrifices on a daily basis to ensure the freedoms we enjoy as Americans.
We also owe a debt of thanks to the members of groups such as the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. They served their country when they put on a military uniform, and now they are serving our communities in many ways.
We should also be thankful for those who choose to serve the community by becoming elected officials, serving on such bodies as City Councils and school boards. While we may often question the decisions they make, we dont question their dedication in doing what they believe is best for our communities. They give up time at work and time with their families to govern and make our cities better places to live.
There are many, many other examples of people working to make our communities better places in which to live. On Thanksgiving, take a few moments and think about those volunteering their time and services or making donations and be thankful that they choose to live among us.


To contact a member of The Marysville Globe/Arlington Times editorial board Kris Passey, Scott Frank or Margi Hartnett e-mail forum@premier1.net.