Herald & Lantern 23 November 'S3

55

Thanksgiving

To Remind Us Of Our Bounty Following is the text of President Reagan's 1983 Thanksgiving Day Proclamation: Since the Pilgrims observed the initial Thanksgiving holiday in 1621, this occasion has served as a singular expression of the transcending spiritual values that played an instrument in the founding of our country.

One hundred and twenty years ago, in the midst of a great and terrible civil conflict, President Lincoln formally proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving to remind those “insensible to the ever-watchful providence of Almighty God” of this nation’s bounty and

Several days after the dedication of the Gettysburg battlefield, the United States celebrated its first national Thanksgiving. Every year since then, our nation has faithfully continued this tradition. THE TIME has come once again to proclaim a day of thanksgiving, an occasion for Americans to express gratitude to their God and their country. In his remarks at Gettysburg, President Lincoln referred to ours as a nation “under God.” We rejoice in the fact that, while we have maintained separate institutions of church and state over our 200 years of freedom, we have at the same time preserved reverence for spiritual beliefs. Although we are a pluralistic society, the giving of thanks can be a true bond of unity among our people. We can unite in gratitude for our individual freedoms and individual faiths. We can be united in gratitude for our nation’s peace and prosperity when so many in this world would have neither. AS WAS WRITTEN in the first Thanksgiving proclamation 120 years ago, “No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hands worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the most high God.” God has blessed America and her people, and it is appropriate we recognize this bounty. Now, therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America,

in the spirit of the Pilgrims, President Lincoln and all succeeding Presidents, do hereby proclaim Thursday, Nov. 24,1983, as a national day of Thanksgiving, and I call upon Americans to affirm this day of thanks by their prayers and their gratitude for the many blessings upon this land and its people.

Millions Starving

On this Thanksgiving Day of 1983, there are more than 400 million people starving in the world. They experience constant, severe hunger, and are slowly dying because of lack of food. In the past year, 17 million children alone died of starvation. The accompanying photo shows refugees in East Africa, where the crisis is especially acute. A prolonged drought and continuous warfare in the Ogaden Desert have pushed the area’s inhabitants to the edge of survival: men, women and children die from hunger daily. The Christian relief organization World Vision International somberly notes that hunger has been termed “the silent holocaust.” World Vision and International Christian Aid are two of the organizations addressing this desperate need. Tax deductible donations to help the starving can be made to: World Vision, Box O, Pasadena, CA 91109; or locally to Crest Community Church (Crocus and Pacific Aves., Wildwood, NJ 08260), which is collecting funds for International Christian Aid’s East African relief work.

Social Security

Questions and Answers

Q. I AM 64 years old and I would like to know how much difference there will be in my checks if I retire now or if I wait until next year. How can I get this information? A. You should contact your local Social Security office. The amount of your benefits can be estimated if you provide information about what you’ve earned in the last two years and what you expect to earn this year.

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Q. MY SISTER does not understand English very well. Is there anything written in Spanish that explains the Social Security program? A. The Social Security Administration puts out a brochure, Suseguro social (Your Social Security), which is a comprehensive explanation of the Social Security program. There are also other Spanishlanguage publications.