November 2014 Newsletter
www.coolspringsfitness.com
Hours of Business:
Mon-Thurs 5:30 AM - 9 PM
Fri 5:30 AM - 7 PM
Sat 7 AM - 2 PM
724-662-1910
Closed Thanksgiving Day
Sun 9 AM - 2 PM
The History of Veterans Day
THE GREAT WAR & ARMISTICE DAY
The Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, but
November 11 remained in the public imagination as the date that
marked the end of the Great War. In November 1918, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first
commemoration of Armistice Day. The day’s observation included
parades and public gatherings, as well as a brief pause in business
activities at 11 a.m. On November 11, 1921, an unidentified American soldier killed in the war was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C.; the U.S. Congress had declared the day
a legal federal holiday in honor of all those who participated in the
war.
On June 4, 1926, Congress passed a resolution that the
“recurring anniversary of [November 11, 1918] should be commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed to
perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding
between nations” and that the president should issue an annual
proclamation calling for the observance of Armistice Day. By that
time, 27 state legislatures had made November 11 a legal holiday.
An act approved May 13, 1938 made November 11 a legal Federal
holiday, “dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter
celebrated and known as ‘Armistice Day.”
FROM ARMISTICE DAY TO VETERANS DAY
American effort during World War II (1941-1945) saw the greatest mobilization of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force in
the nation’s history (more than 16 million people); some 5.7 million
more served in the Korean War (1950 to 1953). In 1954, after lobbying efforts by veterans’ service organizations, the 83rd U.S.
Congress amended the 1938 act that had made Armistice Day a
holiday, striking the word “Armistice” in favor of “Veterans.” President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the legislation on June 1, 1954.
From then on, November 11 became a day to honor American
Tai Chi Students Earn Certificates
veterans of all wars.
Then, in 1968, another story of Veterans Day unfolded when
Congress passed the Uniform Holidays Bill, which sought to ensure
three-day weekends for federal employees and encourage tourism
and travel–by celebrating four national holidays (Washington’s
Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Columbus Day) on
Mondays. The observation of Veterans Day was set as the fourth
Monday in October. The first Veterans Day under the new law was
Monday, October 25, 1971; confusion ensued, as many states disapproved of this change, and continued to observe the holiday on
its original date. In 1975, after it became evident that the actual
date of Veterans Day carried historical and patriotic significance to
many Americans, President Gerald R. Ford signed a new law
returning the observation of Veterans Day to November 11th beginning in 1978. If November 11 falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the
federal government observes the holiday on the previous Friday or
following Monday, respectively.
CELEBRATING VETERANS DAY AROUND THE WORLD
Britain, France, Australia and Canada also commemorate the
veterans of World Wars I and II on or near November 11th with
various traditions. In the United States, an official wreath-laying
ceremony is held each Veterans Day at the Tomb of the Unknowns
in Arlington National Cemetery, while parades and other celebrations are held in states around the country. Veterans Day is not to
be confused with Memorial Day, a common misunderstanding,
according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Memorial
Day (the fourth Monday in May) honors American service members
who died in service to their country or as a result of injuries
incurred during battle, while Veterans Day pays tribute to all
American veterans, living or dead, but especially gives thanks to
living veterans who served their country honorably during war or
peacetime.
Prepare for the Holidays
Howard Egger received
his Level 2 Certificate of
Achievement in Tai Chi on
October 24, 2014.
Congratulations!
Barb Coryea received her
Level 2 Certificate of
Achievement in Tai Chi on
October 24, 2014.
Congratulations!
Ideal for all ages and levels of fitness. Ages 13 and under must be
accompanied by an adult.
Delay the Disease Program: Making a Difference
For information and registration, call
Lewis gets instruction from Carol prior Bill multi-tasking during
the agility ladder exercise
to doing agility ladder exercises.
724-662-1910 or stop at the front desk.
Thanksgiving: A Tradition to Treasure
Each year on the fourth Thursday in November, Americans gather
A holiday tradition for Cool Springs Fitness has been to
for a day of feasting, family, and football. While today’s Thanksparticipate in the Children's Aid Society’s Annual Gifts for
giving celebrations would likely be unrecognizable to the Pilgrims
Kids program. Members of CSF have the opportunity to
of the original 1621 harvest meal, Thanksgiving continues to be a
purchase Christmas gifts for children throughout Mercer
day for Americans to come together around the table and share
County, who may not otherwise receive a gift. The children who receive
what they consider to be tradition with some obvious updates.
our gifts range in age from infant to 18 years.
First, the definition of family may have changed in terms of
Thanksgiving celebration. The traditional biological family
includes parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, aunts,
uncles, and cousins. For some family traditions, however, the
Thanksgiving dinner gathering might include friends, neighbors,
co-workers, and perhaps an acquaintance who has no where to
go for the holiday. Other families have a tradition in which they
volunteer to serve dinner to folks at the local community shelter
or soup kitchen. Whatever the traditional definition of family,
Thanksgiving perhaps offers an opportunity to create the feeling
of family with whomever is seated around that warm loving table.
Although we will likely never meet the children who receive our gifts,
we will know in our hearts that these children are positively effected by our
loving gesture. An act of kindness can sometimes influence others to
pass on another act of kindness.
If you would like to participate, please stop at the front desk to receive
your envelope which contains information about a child. We will document the number on the outside of each envelope so that all envelopes
are accounted for. You may take more than one envelope, and the
amount of money you spend on gifts is up to you. Your wrapped gifts will
be placed under the Christmas tree in the fitness center. We have 50
envelopes (for 50 children) available, and they will disappear quickly!
Please pick up your envelope today.
Next, traditional holiday activities have evolved greatly over the
Your wrapped gifts should be placed under the CSF tree no later than
hundreds of years since 1621. The Pilgrims likely enjoyed physi- Friday, December 5. Thanks so much for your participation in our holiday
cal activities such as hunting, fishing, and playing games in the
tradition! For more information about the Children’s Aid Society see
grass and trees. Today, many people choose to run in a local
http://www.casmercer.org/
Turkey Trot 5k race or gather for a friendly game of touch football
on Thanksgiving Day. Other people opt to watch televised football, take a nap after feasting, go to a movie, or hit the midnight
Christmas shopping sales as part of family tradition. In general, it
has remained consistent that Thanksgiving is a time for traditional Entry Fee: $10.00
holiday festivities and fellowship.
Weigh-ins: On or before November 26, 2014, 9:00 PM
Finally, if we can preserve the true meaning of Thanksgiving after
400 years of evolution as a society, a country, a community, and
a family, Thanksgiving will continue to be a tradition to treasure.
Although technology and attitudes have changed since 1621,
perhaps human nature has not. Is it necessarily the happy people
who are thankful, or is it the thankful people who are happy?
Let’s be thankful this holiday season.
~ J. Anderson
Final weigh-ins: must be recorded between January 2 &
January 6, 2015, 9:00 PM
If you successfully MAINTAIN or LOSE weight from your initial weigh-in
to the final weigh-in, you get $5.00 back and are automatically entered
into a drawing to win a portion of the POT. Failure to meet weigh-in
deadlines means your $10.00 goes into the POT and you are not eligible
to win.
Please enter at the front desk by Wednesday, November 26, 2014.