“Granny’s my name, spoiling is my game.”
So were the words on the shirt of a woman who joined about 300 people to celebrate Grandparents Day at the Southwest Campus cafeteria.
This year, National Grandparents Day officially is on Sunday, September 9. The impetus to designate a special day for grandparents originated with Marian McQuade, a West Virgina housewife. Her primary motivation was to champion the cause of lonely elderly people in nursing homes. According to grandparents-day.com, Ms. McQuade also hoped to persuade grandchildren to tap the wisdom and heritage their grandparents could provide.
In 1978, President Jimmy Carter proclaimed that National Grandparents Day would be celebrated each year on the first Sunday after Labor Day. Ms. McQuade was born in 1917 and died in 2008.
At the Southwest Campus, grandparents, parents and students shared a nutritious breakfast consisting of fruit, kolaches, juice and Danish rolls. The students posed for pictures and formed into groups as they recited passages for their loved ones. Each classroom gave grandparents a gift. “I’m really happy about this,” said a man who referred to himself as JJ. “I love coming to share time with my grandchildren.”
A special shoutout goes to the Houston Fire Department, which provided grandparents with smoke detectors and vital information about fire safety. Also, a special thank you to the CVS pharmacy, who provided a complete care package for attendees and took their blood pressure.
Ms. Jackson, the Southwest Campus librarian who organized the event, said she was pleased with the outcome “It was a good time for kids to socialize with their grandparents, parents and teachers,” she said. “Grandparents and parents said they were very pleased and hope we will do it again.”
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