HARRISBURG, Pa. — Governor Tom Wolf has proclaimed May 23 as “1-4-3 Day” in Pennsylvania in honor of Fred Rogers’ favorite number and has issued a challenge to all Pennsylvanians to show neighbors more kindness to one another.

“I am proclaiming the 143rd day of the year as ‘1-4-3 Day’ to encourage acts of kindness and honor Fred Rogers, who served as an inspiration to millions of Pennsylvanians and people around the world,” said Gov. Wolf. “We know Pennsylvanians are grateful for and do good deeds for their neighbors every day. It’s one aspect that makes our commonwealth such a great place to live, work and to visit. 1-4-3 Day is a recognition and celebration of those collective efforts, and we hope it inspires even more acts of kindness.”

Pennsylvania native Fred Rogers, best known as Mister Rogers, regularly used 1-4-3 as a way of saying I-Love-You throughout his life and on his beloved television series, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. His reference was to the number of letters in each word: 1-4-3. May 23 is the 143rd day of the year.

The state’s website will be home to a “Kindness Generator” at pa.gov/143-day, to provide inspiration for the day, and a “Kindness Tracker” will tally good deeds and kind gestures Pennsylvanians do throughout the day. Residents are also urged to use #143DayInPA on social media to share and help spread the movement.

“A good deed could be as simple as holding a door open for a few extra people, bringing an extra cup of coffee for a co-worker, or offering your seat on the train,” said Carrie Fisher Lepore, Deputy Secretary, Office of Marketing, Tourism, and Film for the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. “1-4-3 Day is taking time to share some extra gratitude for the people in our lives and celebrate the little things we do for one another every day.”

For more an opportunity to walk in the footsteps of Fred Rogers, the Pennsylvania Tourism Office invites travelers to experience the Fred Rogers Trail, at visitPA.com/fredrogers, which includes stops in his hometown of Latrobe and Pittsburgh, where he filmed his iconic television show.

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