One of the most influential people in a persons' life is their dad. A good dad is someone who is strong, dependable, and will do anything for their children. Just the other day I couldn't figure something out and my dad did it for me in a second and says "this is what dads are for." In honor of Father's Day, we asked our readers to share their favorite dad activity or memory, and here's what they had to say...
1. One of my favorite activities to do with my amazing father is to spend time together at our beach cottage in Onset, MA. My dad is kind, loving, generous, and always fun to be around! We enjoy family meals and great conversations together on the sunny front porch which is surrounded by my mother's beautiful flower gardens. I love my father with all my heart! Lori Isler with her father Phil Wallander
2. I love going to the beach with my dad, especially Cape Cod, because we love to find shells in the sand! We also love to walk in the water and skip rocks to see who can go the farthest! Happy Father’s Day dad! I love you! Alexa Houle and her dad Michael Houle
3. Born and raised in Westfield, my favorite pastimes with my father were all manner of outdoor activities. We fished, hiked, biked - we spent many weekends traipsing off into the woods. Now that I have a son, I love doing the same with Aden. I love seeing how much he loves it, just like me. Aaron Coon and son Aden Ryen
4. We grew up on the water, it seems, spending every summer on Congamond Lake in Southwick. My father and siblings and I used to have water skiing competitions, to see who could last the longest on the skis! Ben is only 3, but he loves the water just as much as me! It’s been awesome to have tubing buddy and I can’t wait to do it again this summer! Chris Harris and son Ben
5. As a competitive person I can’t think of a better way to spend time than trying to beat my dad at tennis! It’s a great way for us to get some exercise, that doesn’t involve getting off the couch to get snacks. Playing tennis also gives us a chance to rile each other up with some good old fashioned trash talking. I honestly couldn’t think of anything more fun than going to the courts with my amazing dad! Hannah LeBlanc and her father Michael LeBlanc
6.One of the best things about being a pilot is sharing the experience with others. Sharing that experience with your dad, especially for the first time, is such a memorable moment. It is a wild flip of the table when for once I was in full control and doing all the teaching, rather than my dad, since he has no aviation experience. Jared Orzechowski and his father Peter Orzechowski
7. I was a late in life child, so there was a large gap between Dad's and my ages. We would play golf together even as he was up into his 70s. I'd hit it long and wide, into the woods, into the next fairway, and very rarely on our own fairway. But I could hit it 200 or more yards. He'd hit is straight down the fairway, perhaps 150, 170 yards. We'd both get on the green in 3, on a par 4 (if you didn't bother counting my penalty strokes). It would turn into a putting contest.....where he often beat me. John Barber and his dad.
8. There are a couple memories that come to mind when I think of how I spent time with my dad. Dad enjoyed working in the garage, and I have memories of hanging out with him and listening to Led Zeppelin while he worked on a vehicle. Or that one summer when he got a fishing license, took my 3 siblings and I to Buck Pond, and we went fishing for the first time. Even road trips to Otis, to visit a family friend, come to mind. Happy Father's Day in Heaven, Dad! Candice Berube and father Dana Tillman