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Despite the significant challenges we all face, everyone has a lot to be thankful for. As each of us looks around the world at what other people deal with, we should all recognize that fact.
This year, I encourage you to offer thanks to:
• The hundreds of thousands of men and women who serve in our Armed Forces and who work every day—many in extremely dangerous circumstances—to ensure our safety and make this holiday possible;
• The legions of emergency workers who toil night and day on health, disaster and other critical issues;
• And let’s feel good about the outpouring of support from Americans to the French and others who are victims of ISIS.
These three examples—our men and women in uniform, our emergency workers and the generosity of the American people—speak to the American character. The men and women who have stepped forward are unsung heroes for us all.
Now, some facts about Thanksgiving:
• Thanksgiving is celebrated every year on the fourth Thursday in November. The first Thanksgiving was celebrated by the Pilgrims in 1621. It was not celebrated again for 55 years, and that happened in Charlestown, Massachusetts. President George Washington proclaimed Thursday, November 26, 1789, as a day of “public thanksgiving and prayer,” establishing a non-sectarian tone for the day and stressing the political and moral blessings that make American self-government possible.
• New York adopted a day of Thanksgiving in 1817 as an annual celebration, and in 1863 President Abraham Lincoln designated a national day of Thanksgiving. This year marks the 152nd anniversary of Lincoln's Proclamation.
• About 228 million turkeys were raised in the United States in 2015.
• Minnesota is tops in turkey production (40 million,) followed by North Carolina (29 million,) Arkansas (27 million,) Indiana (19 million,) Missouri (18 million,) and Virginia (17 million.)
• Wisconsin leads all states in the production of cranberries with 503 million pounds, followed by Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington.
• The total weight of sweet potatoes produced by major sweet potato-producing states in 2014 was 3 billion pounds.
• 98.6 percent of U.S. households have a gas or electric stove—essential for cooking the Thanksgiving Feast. 96.8 percent have a microwave.
• 35.8 percent of U.S. households have a stand-alone food freezer to preserve their Thanksgiving leftovers; 99.2 percent have a refrigerator; 69.3 percent have a dishwasher to make the clean-up easier.
• Five cities in the United States are named after the bird: Turkey Creek, LA, Turkey, TX, Turkey Creek, AZ, Turkey, NC and Turkey Scratch, AR.
• There are 66,286 supermarkets and other grocery (except convenience) stores in the United States, 3,235 baked goods stores providing desserts, and 2,761 fruit and vegetable markets.
We all have a lot to be thankful for. Enjoy the day.
Bob Dilenschneider
The Dilenschneider Group
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