Fathers are the unsung heroes of the American family. The first televised words of professional athletes, who often spend their formative years tossing the ball around with dad, are usually, “Hi, Mom.”

And unfortunately, this tendency manifests itself on Father’s Day, as well. While Mother’s Day is marked with fancy dinners and extravagant gifts, Father’s Day often finds the honoree himself stationed behind a barbeque grill.

If the mother is the star of the American family, the father is the behind-the-scenes technician, making sure everyone is happy and everything runs smoothly. But just as in the business world, if something should go awry, it is not the star who is blamed but rather those working behind the scenes. So it is with fathers in this country. Much is made of the fathers who are absent, who contribute nothing to the success of a family, but little credit is given to the millions of hard-working fathers who sacrifice so much for the good of their families.

So this father’s day, don’t make the special guy flip burgers while the rest of the family chats. Let him know how much his hard work and dedication have meant through the years, even if it’s just for a day.

To all the fathers in the River Parishes and beyond, happy Father’s Day.