Pennington County Commissioners 
                            315 Saint Joseph Street, Suite 156 
                                 Rapid City, SD  57701 
                                    (605) 394-2171
                                  Fax – (605) 394-6833





                                       PROCLAMATION


WHEARAS the use of illegal and prescription drugs and the abuse of alcohol and nicotine 
constitute the greatest threats to the well-being of America’s children;

WHEREAS 13 years of surveys conducted by The National Center on Addiction and Substance 
Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University have consistently found that the more often children and 
teenagers eat dinner with their families the less likely they are to smoke, drink and use illegal 
drugs;

WHEREAS frequent family dining is associated with lower rates of teen smoking, drinking, 
illegal drug use and prescription drug abuse;

WHEREAS the correlation between frequent family dinners and reduced risk for teen substance 
abuse is well documented;

WHEREAS parents who are engaged in their children’s lives – through such activities as 
frequent family dinners – are less likely to have children who abuse substances;

WHEREAS family dinners have long constituted a substantial pillar of family life in America:

NOW, THEREFORE, the Pennington County Board of Commissioners, do hereby proclaim the 
fourth Monday of every September as

Family Day – A day to Eat Dinner with Your Children

And urge all citizens to recognize and participate in its observance.

Dated at Rapid City, South Dakota, this 19th day of August, 2008



______________________
Brenda Young, Chairperson
Pennington County Commission