Whereas, Over 800,000 children go missing each year in the United States; and,
Whereas, The state of Michigan is committed to the protection of its children and has joined efforts with the American Football Coaches Association, University of Michigan head football coach Rich Rodriguez, the FBI's National Child ID Program, the FBI National Citizens Academy Alumni Association, and the Walmart Foundation to provide more than 290,000 child ID kits for every public kindergarten and first-grade student; and,
Whereas, The child ID kits will be provided at no charge for use by parents to keep their children's fingerprints, DNA, current photographs and other vital information readily accessible to law enforcement in the event of an emergency; and,
Whereas, The issue of missing, kidnapped and runaway children affects every community within the state of Michigan, and the first step to keeping our children safer is by obtaining child ID kits;
Now, Therefore, be it Resolved, That I, Jennifer M. Granholm, governor of the state of Michigan, do hereby proclaim the month of November 2009 Child Identification Month in Michigan. I encourage all residents of this state to keep their children safe by participating in this important observance.