I write this letter to thank you for your efforts to make this year’s inaugural American Cancer Society’s Big Dig of Michigan the rousing success it was. Your contributions, along with so many others, helped this event far exceed expectations and make it one of the most successful of its kind the American Cancer Society has ever held. The charitable monies raised, the profile it gave to the event, the organization, and its mission, and the smiles on the faces of the many participants were second to none. You were a key part of this success, and I hope you share in the pride and satisfaction you deserve for it.

As I had stated before, this is a cause and organization especially dear to me. I knew when the American Cancer Society reached out to ask for assistance, that we would be successful because when our industry bands together, we are capable of amazing things. That said, even I have to admit that I was overwhelmed with the magnitude of response. Over 300 children got to experience operating heavy equipment, and the event raised more than their goal that will go to fund some of the most important work currently taking place, namely the fight to end cancer.

But dollars and cents and attendance numbers do not begin to tell the true story of this event – how our industry came together to assist with an event that gave local Michigan children, including those with cancer, the opportunity of a lifetime: to experience the joy and fun that comes with construction and the equipment we get to run every day.

That is a story that can only be told through the experiences, the fun, and the smiles of the families who visited. And those stories only exist because of the contributions of people like you.
So again, I thank you from the bottom of my heart, and look forward to partnering with you again on more endeavors in the future.

Sincerely,

Lee Graham
Executive Director, Operating Engineers 324 Labor Management Education Committee
Chairperson, Michigan Apprenticeship Steering Committee, Inc