Every year on the third Sunday of June, people all around the world take the time to celebrate the important men in their lives. Whether they are fathers, grandfathers, uncles, brothers or mentors, these special men teach us important lessons and serve as guides throughout our lives. Whether you're shooting hoops or grilling some barbecue on the deck with your father-figure this Father's Day, think about the way to thank him for all he does.

Here are some little known facts about fathers and Father's Day:

• Father's Day started at the Y! That's right, after hearing a Mother's Day sermon at her church, 17-year-old Sonora Smart Dodd went to her local YMCA to propose that fathers receive their own special day of recognition. Dodd's father was a widowed Civil War veteran who was left to raise his six children on a farm. The YMCA of Spokane, WA, endorsed her idea and celebrated the first Father's Day on June 17, 1910.
• President Lyndon Johnson designated Father's Day as an official holiday in 1966, and President Richard Nixon signed the holiday into law in 1972.
• According to the most recent census, there are 70.1 million fathers in the U.S.
• 176,000 fathers are stay-at-home dads.
• A tie is the most traditional and popular Father's Day gift.
• Father's Day is the fourth most popular day to send a card, after Christmas, Valentine's Day, and Mother's Day.

Join the Y in encouraging healthy living and quality family time by doing something active with your dad this Father's Day.

• Take a walk, toss a Frisbee, or play a round of golf at one of the Kansas City area's parks.
• Teach your child to make fruit kabobs and help dad out on the grill.
• Visit a museum in Kansas City, like the American Jazz Museum, Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, or Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.
• Go on a jog with your dad in the The Inaugural Kevin Gray Father's Day 5K and venture through the LIVESTRONG Sporting Park, Community America Ballpark and the Kansas Speedway.
• Visit the Powell Gardens and explore nature! Y members can get a discount on admission with the Passport to Summer Fun coupon book. Visit your local Y for more information.

Have a great Father's Day!