Michigan, John and Me

Dear Friends,

Michigan brought John and me together.   You have probably heard the story – we sat next to each other on a flight home, and afterwards he asked me out more than a dozen times before I said yes. He wore me down, researched what I liked and didn’t give up until I said yes. It’s an example of the tenacity that he uses everyday to fight for the people of his District and to solve their problems. He stays on it, never gives up and figures out how to get around any problem or stumbling-block.

Michigan is our home and family…where I worked for 32 years for General Motors and now work for the three domestic auto companies… Where we get our hair cut (and mine colored!) … Where we pay our taxes… shop at the grocery store… know where to find the best bargains… Where we go to Mass, drop by the morning coffee clutch to see friends and hear what’s on people’s minds… Where we have built and grown a garden with our neighbor and where John wakes up wondering if he can escape to the Wildlife Refuge for a little time by the water.

I grew up in St. Clair on the river, where I took the water and Canada as a neighbor for granted. John grew up in Detroit, which provided the foundation of his understanding of working families and the importance of manufacturing. John’s four children graduated from the University of Michigan or Michigan State, providing us an abundance of  good-natured but intense rivalry, like many Michigan families on football game day. Our families are here and we celebrate the good times and support each other when times are tough. Our family members are school teachers, ballet teachers, engineers, computer analysts, accountants. My mother delighted us all when she became engaged this summer to another Michigander and we look forward to a happy family celebration hopefully yet this year. Our remaining parents are buried here in the state they loved and where they grounded both of us with strong mid-west values.

Michigan is where we go to the farmer’s market and I shop and John catches up with friends and neighbors, where we look forward to county fairs, Thanksgiving Day Parades, Paczki Day, art festivals, street fairs, university forums, weekend picnics, fireworks and many other traditions of our region. It is where I make a fool of myself for a good cause at Dearborn Rotary’s Lipsync (coming again October 28th!) and we work with our communities on veteran programs, raising awareness of women’s health care issues such as heart disease and breast cancer and making the River Raisin Battlefield a success.  I debate weekly with Nolan Finley of the Detroit News (John tells me to be calm, but not too successfully…) and I serve on the board of Wayne State University.  We get together regularly with grade school and high school friends, enjoy the diversity of our cultural offerings from the zoo to the Opera (admittedly, John more than me) and speakers at Detroit Economic Club.

Our doctors are here.  Most recently my doctor at U of M took care of almost forty spider bites on my legs.  Like the rest of the community, we are grateful that we have multiple outstanding hospital centers at U of M, Henry Ford and Oakwood, among others, and we learn everyday from their doctors and staff.

Michigan is home and for us, and there is no place like home.

When I first met John Dingell, I called him a teddy bear. He told me not to tell people that because it would hurt his image. Well, I still think John Dingell is a teddy bear – but I know that he is also tough, dedicated, tenacious, committed, wise, understanding, accessible and a fighter.

Help me tell people about John Dingell.  Here is what you can do to help:

· Become a fan of John Dingell’s Facebook page.

· Share your favorite John Dingell story

· Volunteer. We need people to walk doors, work phone banks, tell the story, organize neighborhood events, to listen and tell us what is going on, and share information within your community about the issues.

· Share what you are hearing about other political activity at your house, in your neighborhood, the office, organizations you belong too etc…

· Let us know about events we should attend, like town meetings, local celebrations, and other community activities.

· Write letters to the editors, call into radio shows, make sure our voices are being heard.

My wall is ready for your thoughts – and most importantly your friendship. Thanks for being mine.