Several events to mark Mother’s Day are planned today in Los Angeles County, including therapy dogs greeting passengers on an incoming flight at Los Angeles International Airport.

Therapy Dogs to Greet Passengers at LAX

Passengers on Southwest Airlines Flight 3193 from Oakland will receive affection from nine Pets Unstressing Passengers therapy dogs. Passengers in the terminal will have the opportunity to win prizes including tote bags, mobile phone chargers and other commemorative items.

Mother’s Day in Los Angeles County will also include what organizers
bill as the 23rd annual “Largest Mother’s Day Celebration in the World”; the
ninth annual Foster Mother’s Day celebration; and a Mother’s Day Concert by the
California Philharmonic at The Sofia Ballroom at Noor at Paseo Colorado in
Pasadena.

Largest Mother’s Day Celebration in the World at Jewish Home

More than 1,000 people representing families of four and five
generations will gather with their mothers, grandmothers, great-grandmothers
and great-great-grandmothers, including several centenarians, will gather at
the Los Angeles Jewish Home in Reseda for the “Largest Mother’s Day
Celebration in the World.”

Foster Mother’s Day Celebration

Organizers expect more than 2,500 youth and their families to attend the
Foster Mother’s Day celebration at the Willows Community School in Culver City.
Foster mothers will get their hair styled, receive makeup and a buffet
lunch. The event will also include a carnival, storytelling and other
activities for children.

“We started Foster Mother’s Day nine years ago to honor and show our
respect for the many foster parents who give selflessly of themselves every
day,” said Jeanne Pritzker, founder of Foster Care Counts, a nonprofit
organization which supports foster youth and the agencies that serve them.

A record $23.6 billion is forecast to be spent nationally in connection
with Mother’s Day, according to the National Retail Federation’s Mother’s Day
consumer spending survey. The previous record was $21.4 billion set last year.
The increase is driven largely by spending on jewelry, which is up 19
percent, and personal services, up 15 percent, National Retail Federation
President and CEO Matthew Shay said.

Adults celebrating Mother’s Day are expected to spend an average of
$186.39 on activities, gifts and cards.

Of the 7,406 adults polled, 85 percent said they planned on celebrating
Mother’s Day. Of those celebrating, 68.5 percent said they would buy flowers,
55.9 percent said they would treat mother to a brunch or dinner, 35.5 percent
said they would buy jewelry and 37 percent said they would buy clothing or
accessories.

The survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics between April 4-11
has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.2 percentage points.

Donald Trump’s Proclamation

In his Mother’s Day proclamation, President Donald Trump wrote,
“Mother’s Day is a special celebration in America. It is an occasion to thank
our mothers for the life and love they have given us and to emphasize our
affection for them, affection they deserve every day of the year.

“But it is also an opportunity to honor mothers across our nation and
celebrate motherhood as a pillar of our country’s stability and success. Our
deep appreciation for the strength and spirit of mothers and their resolve to
do what is right for their children and families cannot be overstated.

“They are often the first to lend a hand during hard times and the
first to celebrate our proudest victories. The boundless energy of our mothers
inspires us to be people of action, people who strive relentlessly toward our
goals. Above all, they teach us the power and joy of unconditional love.”

Mother’s Day First Proposed by Activist-Poet

Mother’s Day was initially proposed in 1870 by activist-poet Julia Ward
Howe as a call for peace and disarmament. It was celebrated in 18 cities in
1873, continued for about another 10 years in Boston under Howe’s backing, then
died out.

The second attempt to establish Mother’s Day began on May 9, 1907, the
second anniversary of the death of Anna Jarvis’ mother Ann.

Jarvis invited several friends to her home in Philadelphia in
commemoration of her mother’s life, which included providing nursing care and
promoting better sanitation during the Civil War, helping save lives on both
sides.

Jarvis announced to her friends her idea of a day of national
celebration in honor of mothers, which was first celebrated on May 10, 1908 at
the Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, West Virginia where Ann
Jarvis worshipped.

The church is now known as the International Mother’s Day Shrine.
West Virginia Gov. William E. Glasscock issued the first Mother’s Day
proclamation in 1910. By 1911, it was celebrated in nearly every state.

President Woodrow Wilson signed a congressional joint resolution in 1914
designating the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day nationally.

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