Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 123.djvu/3761

 123STA T . 3 74 1 PROCL A M AT I O N8 4 5 8 — NO V .2 0, 200 9Proclam a ti o n845 8o fN o ve m b er 20, 200 9Thanksgiv ing D a y,20 0 9BythePr e sid e n t of the U nited S t a tes of Am eri c a A Proc l amation Whatbeg a n a s aha rv est c e l ebrat io n bet w een Eu ro p ean settlers an d in - digenous co m munities nearl yf our centuries ago has become our cher- ished tradition of T han k sgiving . This day ’ s roots are intertwined with those of our N ation , and its history traces the A merican narrative. Today, we recall P resident G eorge Washington, who proclaimed our first national day of public thanksgiving to be observed ‘ ‘by acknowl- edging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God,’’ and President Abraham L incoln, who established our annual Thanksgiving D ay to help mend a fractured Nation in the midst of civil war. We also recogni z e the contributions of Native Americans, who helped the early colonists survive their first harsh winter and continue to strengthen our Nation. F rom our earliest days of independence, and in times of tragedy and triumph, Americans have come together to cel- ebrate Thanksgiving. As Americans, we hail from every part of the world. While we observe traditions from every culture, Thanksgiving Day is a uni q ue national tradition we all share. I ts spirit binds us together as one people, each of us thankful for our common blessings. As we gather once again among loved ones, let us also reach out to our neighbors and fellow citizens in need of a helping hand. This is a time for us to renew our bonds with one another, and we can fulfill that commitment by serving our communities and our Nation through- out the year. In doing so, we pay tribute to our country’s men and women in uniform who set an e x ample of service that inspires us all. Let us be guided by the legacy of those who have fought for the free- doms for which we give thanks, and be worthy heirs to the noble tradi- tion of goodwill shown on this day. N O W,T H E R EFORE, I, B ARA CK OBA M A, President of the U nited S tates of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Con- stitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Thurs- day, November 26 ,2 0 0 9, as a National Day of Thanksgiving. I encour- age all the people of the United States to come together, whether in our homes, places of worship, community centers, or any place where family, friends and neighbors may gather, with gratitude for all we have received in the past year to express appreciation to those whose lives enrich our own; and to share our bounty with others. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twentieth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth. BARACK OBAMA