Proclamation 5390 -- National Forest Products Week, 1985
October 15, 1985
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
From the dense stands of hardwoods in New England to the towering redwoods of California, America has been blessed with an abundance of forestland. There is much to praise in the beauty of our forests and much to be thankful for. John Muir once said of the forests of America that they ``must have been a great delight to God; for they were the best He ever planted.'' They are also a great boon to man. Besides their beauty, they act as protectors of our drinking water and wildlife and provide us with abundant opportunities for recreation. They bring us cooling shade in summer and break the icy winter winds.
America's forests also are an unparalleled resource. For the past three centuries they have contributed greatly to the economic and social development of our Nation. From our forests come the lumber we use to build our houses and the paper for the books, magazines, and newspapers we read. Though we may sometimes overlook the fact in this age of technological breakthroughs, wood is an enduring and invaluable part of our everyday lives.
The Pennsylvania Dutch have a saying: ``We don't inherit the land from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.'' That is a profound insight we cannot afford to ignore. Fortunately, Americans have proven time and again that we see ourselves as the stewards of this abundant land of ours. We well understand that we cannot take our forests for granted. From the time of Gifford Pinchot, the Nation's first Americanborn trained forester, Americans have sought and found ways to insure the health and improve the management of our forests. Today, we have reached a point where the growth of our forests exceeds the harvest. This has come about thanks to the continuing efforts of our Nation's forestry and natural resource schools, hundreds of trained foresters, and other resource specialists, working with private firms and local, State, and Federal agencies such as the United States Forest Service.
Through the success of sustained-yield forestry, Americans can enjoy the splendor of our Nation's woodlands, as well as benefit from an abundant supply of the numerous products that come from trees. The forests provide jobs for millions of people, and they afford a healthy environment for the many who take to the woods in their leisure time. Even though forests provide us with a variety of products today, we will still have -- thanks to proper management -- millions of acres of forest as a living legacy for generations to come.
To promote greater awareness and appreciation of the manifold benefits of our forest resources to our economy and the world economy, the Congress, by Public Law 86 - 753 (36 U.S.C. 163), has designated the week beginning on the third Sunday in October of each year as National Forest Products Week.
Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the week beginning October 20, 1985, as National Forest Products Week and request that all Americans express their appreciation for the Nation's forests through suitable activities.
In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this fifteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and tenth.
Ronald Reagan
[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 4:20 p.m., October 16, 1985]
Note: The proclamation was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on October 16.
Proclamation 5391 -- Veterans Day, 1985
October 15, 1985
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
Veterans Day is a special day for all Americans. It is a time to reflect on the many sacrifices and the great achievements of the brave men and women who have defended our freedom, and to salute them for their loyal and valiant service.
The blessings of liberty which our ancestors secured for us, and which we still enjoy, are ours only because, in each generation, there have been men and women willing to bear the hardships and sacrifices of serving in the military forces we need to preserve our freedom.
These fine men and women have not sought glory for themselves, but peace and freedom for all. They exemplify the spirit that has preserved us as a great Nation, and they deserve our recognition for everything they have done. With a spirit of pride and gratitude, we honor and remember our veterans today.
I urge all Americans to recognize the valor and sacrifice of our veterans through appropriate public ceremonies and private prayers. I urge the families and friends of our sick and disabled veterans to visit them and extend to them a grateful Nation's promise that they will not be forgotten. I ask all Americans, whether or not a family member or friend is a veteran, to find ways to pay a special sign of respect to a veteran in their community on this day.
I also call upon Federal, State, and local government officials to display the flag of the United States and to encourage and participate in patriotic activities throughout the country. I invite the business community, churches, schools, unions, civic and fraternal organizations, and the media to support the national observance with suitable commemorative expressions and programs.
In order that we may pay meaningful tribute to those men and women who proudly served in our Armed Forces, Congress has provided (5 U.S.C. 6103(a)) that November 11 shall be set aside each year as a legal public holiday to honor America's veterans.
Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, do hereby invite the American people to join with me in a fitting salute on Veterans Day, 1985, Monday, November 11, 1985. Let us resolve anew to keep faith with those whose love of country has placed their names on a well-deserved roll of honor.
In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this fifteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and tenth.
Ronald Reagan
[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 4:21 p.m., October 16, 1985]
Note: The proclamation was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on October 16.
Proclamation 5392 -- OPERATION: Care and Share, 1985
October 15, 1985
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
Since the days of our Founding Fathers, the American people have banded together to meet the needs of their communities. This spirit of neighbor helping neighbor is one of the Nation's finest traditions. Generosity and awareness of community needs are traits that have kept our country strong. Voluntary service remains as important today as it was in earlier decades, and personal involvement lends a warmth to giving and sharing that no government or institution by itself can.
During the holiday season, I call upon all Americans to join in partnership with others to help provide food for those who are in need. The agriculture and food industries, churches, civic and fraternal organizations, corporations, and nonprofit groups can each play a vital role in reaching out to their fellow Americans. Let the caring and sharing that stems from private sector initiatives reach out across this great land of ours like the warming rays of dawn and bring to all the blessings of compassion and goodwill, to those who give as much as to those who receive.
Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the forthcoming holiday season to be a time in which partnerships are forged under OPERATION: Care and Share. Further, I proclaim that November 25, 1985, should be a day upon which each of us should focus upon our fellow citizens and collect and distribute food to those in need.
In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this fifteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and tenth.
Ronald Reagan
[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 4:22 p.m., October 16, 1985]
Note: The proclamation was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on October 16.