Radio Address: A Holiday Message
In this week’s holiday radio address, Governor Granholm reminds us to send our thoughts and our prayers out to those that serve our state and our country.
Hello this is Governor Jennifer Granholm.
In the hustle and bustle of the holidays, we sometimes forget what this season is all about. It’s a time for faith, and for gatherings of families and friends, it’s an opportunity to reflect on the past year and to look ahead to the next, and it’s a time to count our blessings.
Those blessings should include the people who won’t be home for the holidays because they are busy serving us. They include the police officers, the firefighters, the corrections officers who protect our communities. They are the doctors and the nurses who staff our hospitals. They are the bus drivers, and the airport and railroad employees that help us get to our destinations.
We take these services for granted, and we shouldn’t. Many are life saving, and all contribute to our well-being and our quality of life. So let’s include the men and women who provide these services in our thoughts and prayers this season.
Let us also not forget the brave men and women in our armed forces. More than 1000 members of the Michigan Army and Air National Guard are now serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere across the world, along with Michigan members of our military.
Their dedication and sacrifice allow us to celebrate the holidays secure and free. While our servicemen and women accept the hardship of being away from home at the holidays, it is more difficult for their families and loved ones.
We owe our servicemen and women a debt of gratitude. Let us keep them and their families in our thoughts and prayers as well.
And finally, I want to ask your support for another special group of people; the ones who run food banks throughout our state. The demand for food has never been greater in Michigan, our food banks are distributing food as quickly as it comes in.
No one should go hungry, especially this time of year. So please consider donating food, or contributing money to your local food bank, or volunteering your time. For more information, visit the Food Bank Council of Michigan’s website at http://www.fbcmich.org.
While this has been a tough year for Michigan, we still have much to be grateful for. Our strength is in our people, and in the support we give one another.
So shake the hand of a soldier, wave to a firefighter, smile at a bus driver, they all help make our country what it is – the greatest nation on Earth.
Have a safe, happy and blessed holiday season.
