Whereas, Amateur Radio provides a bridge between peoples, societies and countries by creating friendships and the sharing of ideas; and,

Whereas, Throughout its history, Amateur Radio Operators have provided countless hours of community services without compensation; and,

Whereas, Amateur Radio Operators provide services to many of the state's Emergency Response Organizations including, FEMA, The Michigan Department of Human Services, and the Office of Emergency Management, and also serve as weather spotters in the Skywarn program of the National Weather Service; and,

Whereas, In 2005, Amateur Radio Operators provided emergency communications during the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the United States and in the tsunami catastrophe overseas; and,

Whereas, The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) is the leading organization for Amateur Radio in the USA; and,

Whereas, This year's Amateur Radio Field Day, taking place June 28-29, will be a 24-hour emergency encampment exercise and demonstration of the Radio Amateurs' skills and readiness to provide communications; and now therefore be it,

Resolved, That I, Jennifer M. Granholm, Governor of the State of Michigan, do hereby proclaim the week of June 23, 2008, as Amateur Radio Awareness Week in Michigan.