LANSING — State Representative Bill LaVoy (D-Monroe) introduced House Resolution 185 today, declaring Nov. 10, 2015, as Great Lakes Sailors Remembrance Day in Michigan. The Great Lakes give Michigan more freshwater coastline than any other state and, as a result of their use as a trade route, contain more shipwrecks per square mile than anywhere else in the world.
“There is only one Great Lakes State, and for hundreds of years, people living in Michigan have relied on these waters for their economy, recreation, sustenance and more,” LaVoy said. “It is only fitting that we recognize the dedication and sacrifice of the men and women who serve on the ships that navigate the lakes.”
LaVoy chose this day in particular as it is the 40th anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, whose 29 crew members were lost during a storm on Lake Superior. HR 185 honors those sailors, the countless others who lost their lives in other shipwrecks, and the men and women who continue to serve on merchant ships vital to our economy.
“We dedicate this day to those who have sailed and continue to ply the waters of our vast inland seas, for the Great Lakes have and will continue to serve as the lifeblood of natural resources to our state and nation,” LaVoy said.