A Proclamation

By Her Excellency
GOVERNOR JANE SWIFT

2002

WHEREAS: The nation's first Thanksgiving took place here in Massachusetts; and

WHEREAS: The first "recommendation" that there be a day, "set apart... for solemn thanksiving and praise, that with one heart and one voice the good people may express the grateful feelings of their hearts and conserate themselves to the service of their divine benefactor...," was proposed on November 1st, 1777, by Samuel Adams, a Son of Massachusetts, and later adopted by the thirteen states as the first official Thanksgiving Proclamation; and

WHEREAS: Philanthropy -- "Private initiatives for the public good, focusing on quality of life" -- is both essential to civic health in self-governing societies, and generally recognized as an appropriate expression of gratitude on the part of donors for the benefits they enjoy in life; and

WHEREAS: Massachusetts citizens have been steadily increasing our charitable giving so that we now lead the nation in the rate of increase in giving; and

WHEREAS: Our citizens should be commended for their philanthropy, and encouraged to sustain it's growth in partnership with government as together we seek to enhance the quality of life for all our citizens;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JANE SWIFT, Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, do hereby proclaim November 29th, 2002, to be

GIVING MASSACHUSETTS DAY

and urge all the citizens of the Commonwealth to take cognizance of this event and participate fittingly in it's observance.

Given at the Executive Chamber in Boston, this second day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand and two, and of the Independence of the United States of America, the two-hundred amd twenty-seventh.

By Her Excellency the Governor
JANE SWIFT [signature]

WILLIAM F. GAVIN [signature]
Secretary of the Commonwealth