It’s time to officially celebrate our grandparents.
On Friday, Sept. 6, all three campuses will host an 8 a.m. breakfast for students and their grandparents in advance of National Grandparents Day on Sunday, Sept. 8. In addition to sitting and eating together, students will make gifts for their special guests. Parents, aunts, uncles and other relatives are also welcome.
Students and grandparents will be served Danish pastry, muffin, turkey sausage, fruit and juice, said LaTonja Lacey, head of the cafeteria staff.
The class with the most guests will receive a gift at Southwest and East campuses. Northeast Campus Director Twilet Alexander said 240 people already have RSVP’d and gifts will be offered as well.
In many cases, grandparents are still playing the role of parents. About 7 million people had grandchildren under 18 who were living with them in 2011, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Marian McQuade, who launched a campaign to honor grandparents in 1970, was the mother of 15, grandmother of 43 and great-grandmother to 15. She convinced governors, Congress and then-President Jimmy Carter to set aside a special day to pay tribute to grandparents. In 1978, Carter signed legislation proclaiming the first Sunday after Labor Day as Grandparents Day.