Labor Day in Shady Pines Story Town is Meaningful
A National Holiday
Generally speaking, the first weekend in 
September signals the unofficial end of Summer. Yess-sir-eee. Labor Day on Monday, September 2nd becomes part of a three-day celebration for most folks in Shady Pines Story Town. I bet it’s the same where you live.
Around here, you’ll find picnics and Bar-B-Ques in backyards all over town. Why, we’ll come up with any ‘ole reason to get together over good food, friends, family and well, just having a fine time.
A National Holiday qualifies as a really good excuse to throw a party.
But Labor Day is special for our tight knit community in a serious way. You see, not everyone has the time off to 
celebrate all the wonderful workers in our country who make our day-to-day living just that much better.
Celebrate Our Workers
Some folks are working on Labor Day. Take young Ray Robinson and his family, for example.
Ray’s father is in the Army and right now he’s serving our country overseas. 
Ray and his mom haven’t seen him in a long time. Staff Sergeant Robinson writes to Ray as much as he can.
Soldiers don’t often get this holiday off like some of us.
Ray misses his dad a lot. I bet some of you with loved ones in the armed services can relate to that.
In fact, think of all the nurses and doctors working in hospitals this Labor Day. They have to be there in case you or someone you know gets sick. These folks are dedicated. And if you ask them why they do it, they’d tell you that being of service is a labor of love.
And don’t forget to be grateful for all the grocery store workers who make sure you have enough of those picnic foods ready when you need them.
They’re stocking shelves while you may be stacking sandwiches.
How Did Labor Day Begin?
Way back in the 1800s a lot of people in this country worked very long hours in unsafe factories or mines. Not only was it scary to work in those conditions, but they didn’t make much money. Even young children would work all day and make even less money than the adults. 
Those “kids jobs” were much harder and more dangerous than we can imagine. In comparison, Shady Pines kids sometimes think cleaning their room or taking out the trash is hard work.
Finally, these hard working , underpaid United States workers decided they had to do something to improve their situation. So they joined unions. They formed organized groups of workers created to look out for their members.
The First Labor Day Parade
In September 5, 1882, union workers from all over the country got together to hold a big event.
They took a day off and even lost a day’s pay to march in New York City. They 
demanded better pay, fewer hours, and safer working conditions. 
When the march was over a whole bunch of those people stayed around to have a picnic with other families in New York’s Central Park.
You know, that may have been the beginning of the Labor Day picnic tradition!
Labor Day 2024
Back here in Shady Pines our favorite mail carrier, Kim Dunworthy, is on a mission. She hurries to make her final delivery of our town’s letters and packages by Friday afternoon. Kim is excited to get to her parent’s home in nearby River City so she can help with party preparations.
Kim says her mom always bakes up her super-duper apple, peach and cherry pies for the family gathering on Saturday. 
It’s their Labor Day weekend tradition.
Kim comes from a long line of postal workers. Getting all those guys and gals together in one place is something of a special delivery!
Gratitude
The Sanders’ family seems to be hatching a plan too. Once Harold locks the front door of his Nuts ‘N Bolts hardware store Saturday afternoon he’ll walk home. His wife, Edna, says she has something in mind.
Now the last time Edna had a
“plan” on a holiday weekend, Harold arrived home to find a half filled blow up pool, an out of control water 
hose snaking 
in all directions, a drenched dog hiding in the bushes and a soaked cat howling in a tree.
Besides Boomerang the Australian Shepherd dog and Halley’s Comet a silver streak of a cat, Edna was waterlogged from the tip of her head to the toes on her feet.
She was muttering something about having a pool day for the kids.
Fortunately, this time the wooden table in the backyard is set for a picnic. Edna is humming as she brings out a pitcher of lemonade from the kitchen. Boomer dogs her heels and Halley tries her best to sneak up on a bird.
Harold sighs. Normal. Edna gives him a big hug. “Hi honey. Glad you’re home.”
After a long day, the Sanders take a moment to be grateful for all they have.
Others will also stop on this Labor Day weekend and pause to appreciate all the people who work hard and make a difference. And that’s why Kindness and Caring Lives Here in the small Southern town of Shady Pines!
Can we talk? My name is Mary Jane McKittrick. (old photo) For more than a decade I’ve been writing stories about cartoon characters living in and around the fictional Shady Pines Story Town.
The truth is, we’re just trying to encourage and uplift. We want to underscore the urgent need to restore a gentler way of communicating with one another that transcends all boundaries and ideologies.
media or by email. Talk to friends and loved ones about the need for change.
It’s that time again. The days are shorter and Thanksgiving is just around the corner. 
You know what you need to do. Here’s our mayor, Beauregard P. Fibbs with a reminder.
To help get ahead of “Fall Back”, I’ve got 4 tips to help your child adjust to the end of Daylight Saving Time.
On Thursday morning, have breakfast ready 15 minutes later than normal, then naptime 15 minutes later and so on until the entire daytime schedule has been shifted.
Experts say by keeping the room dark you encourage the production of melatonin. With that one change you help them stay sleeping.
But when their routine is messed with, it can be a whole ‘nother layer of commotion!
In Shady Pines Story Town, and all over the country, people are buzzing about the upcoming Super Bowl. 
Bowl experience. Even if it’s a boring football game, the food can make up for it. “Goodness me,” says Edna. “What have I served in the past that was a real winner? Oh, chicken wings, of course!”
Then, when we do our screen to screen call and watch the game together from our own homes, it’ll be a party. Well, at least a 2021 – style party!” Harold nods his approval. “What a good idea. Which one are you going to share?”
“That’s a winner!” says Harold. Hearing the sound of paws scampering in his direction, Harold looks up.
“Hey, boy,” says Harold stroking the handsome dog’s head. “Is Halley messing with you again?”
Halley shakes her head. “Did he say work?”
“All right you guys. This game on Sunday is special so that means just one thing. I’m using my Super Bowl,” says Edna.
You probably can’t clear up the confusion for Boomer and Halley by game time Sunday evening.
Boomer watches the television screen in his home on Dogwood Drive. He hears that a couple of German shepherds will be living with the new President of the United States!
Halley’s Comet can’t believe what she’s hearing. “What is wrong with you, you overgrown fur ball? “You sound like you’re jealous.” 
He’s brother to another German shepherd named, Champ. The Biden’s adopted 
Champ as a puppy from a breeder in 2008 while Joe Biden was serving as vice president in the Obama administration. 
“Besides,” says Halley. “That author lady wrote a whole book about how WE were adopted. Did you forget that?”