In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the second Sunday of May as Mother’s Day to recognize the important role mothers play in our lives and in society.

I asked a few people in our community to share what makes their moms so special.

My friend Harper Graves, who lives on Pear Tree, was happy to share some thoughts on her mom, Gina. Harper is in 7th grade at LMS and says her mom has always taught her to see the good in things. Her favorite thing to do with her mom is watch TV series together, and her favorite meal her mom makes is homemade spaghetti. In her free time, Gina enjoys running and reading.

Another neighbor, Colleen Bondanza from Farmview Court, was nominated by her daughter Maddie. Maddie is an Occupational Therapist at Greenfields, and she shared that her mom, a physical therapist, helped her study for exams in college. She remembers that when she was younger, her mom would pick her up from preschool, and they would go to Starbucks and then head to a park together. Maddie is getting married soon and says her mom has been incredibly helpful with dress shopping, venue visits, and all the planning that comes along with it. She describes her mom as thoughtful, caring, and dependable, and loves spending time shopping with her or having her help out when things feel overwhelming.

Another neighbor on Farmview Court, Lillie Olszewski, shared these thoughts about her mom, Cheryl. She says her mom has taught her from a young age to always treat others with kindness and respect, even when it is not returned. Many of her values and behaviors come from her mom, including how to speak, how to carry herself, and how to treat others. Lillie says these lessons have stayed with her and always will. She also loves her mom’s mashed potatoes.

I also wanted to share a few thoughts about my own mom, Julie. I love going camping with her in the summer with our family. She enjoys doing crafts and building Legos with me. She is loving, caring, and funny. I also have a very special grandma, Colleen, who has always been there for me. I love baking cookies with her, and she enjoys baking, reading, and gardening.

Thank you to all the mothers out there. Mothers are irreplaceable, a true source of unconditional love, and wonderful role models for us all.

Happy Mother’s Day!