People who say they work all the time aren’t really stretching the truth that much. Anyone who works 40 hours a week for an entire year has put in 2,080 hours of their own hard labor.

Working is simply a part of life. It’s usually necessary in order to pay the bills, feed our families and put a roof over our heads. And it’s also important so that our residents have skilled workers to provide needed goods and services.

Without farmers, we’d have no corn, no milk and no fresh produce.

Without construction workers, engineers and contractors, we’d have no homes, no roads and no buildings.

And without teachers, we wouldn’t receive the knowledge we need to realize our potential and to pursue our dreams.

Today is Labor Day, a chance for most people to have a day off as a reward for the hard work they’ve put in the rest of the year.

According to www.history.com, on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 1882, 10,000 workers marched from city hall to Union Square in New York City, holding the first-ever Labor Day parade. Participants took an unpaid day-off to honor the workers of America, as well as to vocalize issues they had with employers.

As years passed, more states began to hold these parades, but Congress would not legalize the holiday until 12 years later.

Labor Day is a necessary holiday because it recognizes the hard work of everyone, not just certain individuals.

We are certainly fortunate to have many skilled and competent workers in our communities, and we thank each and every one you for your contributions.