Greetings from Mid-Michigan – The Great Lakes State!
Pure Michigan!
Happy New Year! By now all of the New Year’s Resolutions should be in place. Hopefully most of us will keep them going through the year. Here are a couple I would like everyone to do – Start your 401(k) and donate to the PAC Fund. With the wage increases starting January 1st you can take that extra money and put it to good use. These are two resolutions you can stick with easily and will help you out now and in the years to come. We have all of the forms you need in the Hall. Stop by and pick them up or we can mail them to you. Another resolution to add is to be safe every day. Take a minute before work every day to stop and think about safety for the day.
We have a few pictures I would like to talk about. For those of you that don’t know about Michigan, we have an island called Mackinac Island, which is between the Upper Peninsula and the Lower Peninsula. This island does not allow motor vehicles, it is all horse and buggy and bicycles for transportation around the 9 mile island, with the exception of snowmobiles are used during the winter. Boat ferries run from the mainland to the Island as long as there is no ice. Once the ice comes in you have to fly into the Island or if there is enough ice they take Christmas Trees and line a trail across the lake from the mainland to the island and you can get across on snowmobiles or bicycles. Not every year is there enough ice to create the Ice Bridge though. A couple of Otis teams were recently on the Island doing a mod job at the Grand Hotel. The only way for them to get around was by bicycle, due to the lack of snow and not being able to use snowmobiles at this time. Thus the picture of some of the guys on bicycles. The other picture is of the Mackinac Bridge which connects the Lower Peninsula to the Upper Peninsula. It is a clear view of the “Mighty Mac” from the Island. And there is a little history for you of a piece of Michigan.
Work is still busy. We have fifteen Probationary Apprentices working. Luke Coppernoll was sworn into the Union last month.
Safety, Safety, Safety! Please be safe and pay attention at all times. The injuries/fatalities have got to come to an end. Every morning before starting work, take a minute to go over the Focus Four for a reminder to be safe all day.
Dates to remember:
January 1, 2019 New Year’s Day – Paid Holiday
January 16, 2019 JAC Meeting
January 21, 2019 Martin Luther King Jr Day – No Paid Holiday
January 29, 2019 Union Meeting
Big Buck Contest:
The Big Buck Contest will be wrapping up this month. Please send in your photos of your Michigan buck taken this season. We need the number of points along with the inside spread. All pictures must be turned in by January 4, 2019 to the Union Hall.
Golden Rail Club:
Kalamazoo: 1.2.2019 First Wednesday at 10:00 am, *New Location* Uncle Ernie’s Pancake House, 4005 Portage Rd, Portage
Grand Rapids: 1.21.2019 Third Monday at 9:00 am, New Beginnings, 1455 Michigan Street, NE, Grand Rapids
Lansing: 1.16.2019 Third Wednesday at 9:00 am, Zeus’ Restaurant, 6525 Pennsylvania, Lansing
Communication is the key to our success. Input by everyone is needed. This is your Local. Please get involved! If we all communicate, we will be a lot stronger and more successful.
Work Safe,
Mike Janca
