Parents Day

7th Annual National Parents' Day Celebration Washington. DC

The Seventh Annual National Parents Day Celebration took place on Capitol Hill on July 25, 2001. Parents’ Day was established in 1994 by a unanimous resolution of Congress and signed into law by then President Clinton.

Parents’ Day is celebrated every forth Sunday of July. Parents of the Year from forty-one states were honored by eighty Senate and Congressional offices as thirty-six of the couples and their Congressional Representatives gathered in the majestic Cannon Caucus Room of the Cannon House Office Building to honor the role that parents play in creating an ideal society.

The Master of Ceremonies for the night’s program was Reverend Walter Fauntroy, a former Congressman who was instrumental in getting the Parents’ Day Resolution adopted in 1994. The honorees and their elected representatives were entertained by Ms. Melba Moore.

Presidential Proclamation Mr. Matthew Smith, read President George W. Bush’s Parents’ Day 2001 proclamation. In his proclamation President Bush recognized that the best "program" in the nation is the institution of parenthood, remarking that "the care we express and the values we instill help our children achieve their greatest potential and ultimately will determine the future of our Nation."

He further noted that social science has discovered what many of us already understood intuitively, that "study after study has demonstrated that children who grow up without both parents in the home are more likely to end up in poverty, drop out of school, become addicted to drugs, have a child out of wedlock, or go to prison."

While government has a role to play, President Bush recognized that "Government cannot replace the love and nurturing of committed parents that are essential for a child’s well-being." The best remedy that we can provide as a nation is the two-parent family. Keynote Address Former presidential candidate and Senate Majority Leader Robert Dole gave the keynote address.

Senator Dole spoke eloquently about the value of parents, and testified to the importance of his own parents in his success. He praised this year’s award winners, and their children. "That is the parents’ greatest living monument: their children. Everyone in this room is concerned about posterity … No civilization that neglects the family will remain civilized for long." He received a standing ovation from the entire room when he called for putting God back into the classroom.

National Parents of the Year

The national Parents of the Year for 2001 are William and Nancy Devlin of Philadelphia. They have five children. They shared about their experience in opening up the Urban Family Council, an inner city pro-life and pro-family ministry.

In 1985, while everyone was moving out of the city, they moved into urban Philadelphia to begin their ministry, which focuses on marriage, fatherhood and abstinence issues. Their family is committed to sharing the love of Christ with those in the inner city. William even shared the story of how he was stabbed one night repeatedly by a robber, and how he nonetheless tried to share his faith with him until he collapsed from his wounds.

Other Couples Receive National Level Recognition All the state Parents of the Year couples honored at the Congressional Parents’ Day Celebration have wonderful stories of parental commitment and love.

In addition to the National Parents of the Year, two other couples were selected for national recognition as runners up. Parents of the Year for Nevada, National Runner-up Nevada Parents of the Year David and Janis Rowberry are parents to seven children. Dr. Rowberry founded the Nevada Abstinence Coalition and is a prominent abstinence educator.

Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) presents the Rowberry's with their Parents of the Year award.

As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the Rowberry’s are deeply committed to their faith and the central importance of family. David and Janis were joined by one of their sons as they received their award. They concluded their remarks by singing together a moving song about family love and happiness.

Parents of the Year for Georgia, National Runner-up Georgia

Parents of the Year Lawrence and Frankie Arnold have been married for 54 years, and have 3 biological and 4 foster children. After their children were grown, the Arnolds took in a four month old foster child and then the three siblings in order to keep the family unit together.

Frankie Arnold, a city council member, delivers meals on wheels to the elderly and regularly visits retirement homes "just to say hello to those who need to hear a friendly voice." As they received their award, Lawrence ended by reciting a touching poem that he wrote for their couple’s fiftieth wedding anniversary.

Lawrence and Frankie Arnold share a laugh while commenting on their Parents of the Year award.

Parents of the Year Prayer Breakfast

The Parents’ Day festivities concluded the following morning at a moving prayer breakfast in the Washington Court Hotel, just three blocks from the Capitol. A number of couples, each Parents of the Year from their respective state, shared their experience in Washington, D.C. with the group.

Thanks to New Jersey Parents of the Year Charles and Lillian Bell, North Dakota Parents of the Year Rev. Dale and Mrs. Vitalis, Wisconsin Parents of the Year Dan and Ann Garity, and Florida Parent of the Year Dorothy Perry for sharing with the group.

Here are some of the comments made by others at the prayer breakfast: Rev. and Mrs. Don Mohammed, Parents of the Year couple from Massachusetts, told the audience: "God is the cement that keeps families together. Love does not have a color, shape, or size. Everybody knows when they don’t have love. As the Bible teaches, God is love."

"President Bush has a Cabinet, but if God is not in it, it’s like an empty kitchen cabinet... We have got to give them Jesus’ instruction to build God’s kingdom on the earth". "There is a disease in America, the disease of families. This movement has the doctors to administer the cure of the family. It is beyond black, white, red or yellow color."

Dr. David Rowberry of Nevada issued a "call to action" to all the Parents of the Year couples from each state: He called upon all Parents of the Year to form an informal network or advisory group to AFC, to keep the fire of Parents Day going in the grassroots. He stated that the POY network should become a force in society to advocate for stronger marriages, policy reform in the states, etc. as well as for reform in the United Nations. Dr. Rowberry also called for efforts to share the successes of model parent couples in healing marriages in their states.

He said, "each of you have stories that God has written in your lives, and America needs access to those stories. We cannot be a silent majority any longer." Finally, Brent and Phelecia Hatch, Parents of the Year from California, also spoke. They have written a book, "Raising a G Rated Family in an X Rated World" on parenting strategies, which the Hallmark Company has agreed to promote in 300 stores across America.

Mr. Hatch made a prediction that in the future Parents Day would rise to the level of a national "Grammy Awards" annual event including Hollywood celebrities and that the national Parents Day ceremony would be televised nationwide. Thanks to all the great parents who made this year’s Parents Day Congressional Banquet such a tremendous success.