We are thankful every day for our members and their continued support of our mission and programs. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, we want to take a moment to express our gratitude even further. It is because of your commitment to the greater Arlington community that we are able to succeed together. We are truly thankful for our Chamber family, members and community partners.
We want to give a special shout-out to our President’s Leadership Council Investors, endearingly known as PLCs, for their gracious investment in the greater Arlington business community: Affiliated Bank, Airbus, American Airlines, Arlington Convention Center and Visitors Bureau, Arlington Highlands, Arlington Independent School District, AT&T, Atmos Energy, Baylor Scott & White Orthopedic and Spine Hospital, Bell Helicopter, BMW of Arlington, City of Arlington, Dallas Cowboys Football Club, Digital Corporate Services, First Rate, Frost, General Motors, Jim Ross Law Group, J.P. Morgan, L3 Harris, Medical City Arlington, Moritz Interests Ltd, Oncor, Town of Pantego, PSK, Simmons Bank, Six Flags Over Texas, Spring Creek Barbeque, Strip-A-Zone, Texas Health Arlington Memorial, Teas Health Resources, Texas Rangers, University of Texas Arlington, Viridian, Wade Family Funeral Home, and Wells Fargo.
Just as a reminder, the Chamber will be closed from noon on Wednesday, November 27, to Monday, December 2. Thank you again to all of our Chamber family for all the successes and blessings.
Business in Arlington is always booming this time of year with the Dallas Cowboys playing at home every Thanksgiving since 1966, with the exception of two. A tradition in most households is to watch football on turkey day. The first Thanksgiving football game was played between Yale and Princeton in 1876. The first NFL Thanksgiving game was played in 1920.
Did you know that the first Thanksgiving was actually a three-day celebration? In 1621 the settlers of the Plymouth Colony and the Wampanoag tribe sat down to celebrate a successful harvest and God’s protection from disease. Fast forward nearly 300 years and Thanksgiving became a national holiday. After 17 years of writing letters, the woman who wrote “Mary Had a Little Lamb” convinced Abraham Lincoln to make the day a national holiday.
All of these facts are great to know, but the main reason this holiday is celebrated is to show our thankfulness. The three main things Americans are thankful for are good health, personal freedom and family.
The holidays can bring up a lot of heartache for some. We remember our loved ones who are not here with us anymore. We also take this time to appreciate our health and the health of our family members.
Along with being thankful for health, about 72% of Americans are thankful for personal freedoms. The first Thanksgiving was a celebration of God’s protection and provisions. Americans today are thankful for the personal freedoms that this country has granted us. We thank those who fight for the protection of our freedoms here and abroad.
Lastly, we are thankful for our family and loved ones. Love them or tolerate them, now is the time of year to let the people you love know you are thankful for them. While gratitude should be practiced year-round, the Thanksgiving season is a great time to let others know how much you mean to them.
With that being said, the Chamber would like to thank you. Happy Thanksgiving!