The History of Father's Day and the YMCA

The first-ever Father’s Day celebration was held in Spokane, Washington, in 1910. The effort came from Sonora Smart Dodd, a Spokane resident, who wanted a way to recognize the role her father played in raising her and her siblings after their mother died during childbirth. Despite the hardships, her father, William Smart, a United States Civil War veteran, carried the responsibility of raising six children on his own.

Sonora’s idea developed after she reflected on the public appreciation given to mothers following a Mother’s Day sermon she had attended. She believed fathers and father figures also carried a meaningful responsibility within families and should be recognized in a similar way. In collaboration with the Spokane YMCA and other community leaders, she helped organize the first-ever Father’s Day celebration.

The celebration was originally planned for June 5 to honor her late father’s birthday, but as preparations continued, organizers chose a later date, June 19, to allow additional time. Father’s Day is now nationally recognized each year on the third Sunday in June.

In recent years, Father’s Day at the YMCA of Greenwich has been celebrated with a free Dad’s Fun Day family-friendly event. Community members gather to celebrate all the fathers and father-like figures with obstacle courses, classic barbecue food like burgers and hot dogs, and team games that bring the whole family together.

There is no place like this place. The Y is a movement that provides kids, families, and communities with the resources and opportunities they need to learn, grow, and thrive. From members to volunteers to staff, the YMCA of Greenwich helps everyone find purpose and contribute to something meaningful, continuing the cycle of care and growth that makes the Y so special.