If you live in Michigan, you have seen ad after ad bashing Michigan Congresswoman Haley Stevens during her speech on the floor of the House of Representatives. It was passionate and it was rushed. Her opponents are viewing it as hysterical. And while it is hard to hear (and that is the case when you are trying to squeeze a three minute speech into 60 or 90 seconds), it is good stuff.
Haley Sevens represents the 11th Congressional District of Michigan. She is not my Representative, but I would be very proud if she were.
Her passionate speech was rushed because clearly it was too long for the allotted time. And as she recognized this, she spoke faster and faster.
While the text is below, many conservative critics have focused on her glove and her appearance. If you read the text below, you would definitely see someone who understood the gravity of our crisis back in March. This is definitely someone who deserves our vote and our support. Not our mockery.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Stevens).
Ms. STEVENS. Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today in this Chamber during this critical time in the United States of America, where our country faces a battle with a pandemic, the biggest battle we have faced as a nation together in generations. Amidst uncertainty, we work
to keep Americans alive by stopping the spread of COVID-19.
In these times, heroes will be made and not selected. We are in a global pandemic. Many Americans may perish unexpectedly and suddenly in unfair circumstances.
These are not pleasant words to hear. Treatments and cures are needed. They will take time. Economic security must be guaranteed.
The outbreak of COVID-19 has spread throughout our land. Listen to the scientists and the doctors who have spent a lifetime in this space. Listen to Dr. Fauci. This is not a moment to provide the false comforts of times past.
We are so proud of Americans who are sacrificing so much right now. Our students, gone from their beloved classrooms and classmates. We beam for our manufacturers who have no----
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Ms. STEVENS. I request 30 more seconds because I rise before you adorning these latex gloves not for personal attention, but to encourage you to take the----
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentlewoman from Michigan an additional 30 seconds.
Ms. STEVENS. Join me in the calls of servitude, sharing in the profession with those who have now come before you. Similar times of trying medical need, wars and flus past, you will see darkness, you will be pushed, and our society needs you to stand together at this
time. Our country loves you.
To our doctors and our nurses, I wear these latex gloves to tell every American: Do not be afraid.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has again expired.
Ms. STEVENS. I tell my fellow Americans do not be afraid. Look and see the beauty and opportunity in nature and humanity all around you.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentlewoman from Michigan is no longer recognized.
NOTE - With the fundamental changes because of COVID-19 and the precautions to curtail this pandemic, the needs of food banks may actually be greater.
We are continuing our Food Drive and you can make donations to the Kresge Suite (K4521) in Michigan Ross.
There are many populations that need help more than ever. So if you are leaving campus with the move to online classes - please lighten your load and help out people in the area.
We are going to make deliveries to local food banks and pantries on a regular basis instead of waiting until the end of the term.
#BeAHelper
Corey Seeman - March 14th, 2020
Original Message -
9th Annual Kresge Library Services Food Drive - Now through Friday May 29th, 2020
Please join Kresge Library Services of the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business as we embark on our 9th springtime food drive for Washtenaw County food banks. We are looking to collect non-perishable food donations that will be distributed to local food banks in June. We are undertaking this food drive now for two big reasons:
While many organizations coordinate food drives around the holidays, hunger is a year round problem. Food drives during the spring and summer are less common, but are critical for food banks’ ability to help families in need.
At Ross, nearly 40% of our students graduate every year after Winter Term and many leave Ann Arbor. A food drive is a great way to lighten your load as you head out with your degree in hand, while helping less fortunate people in Michigan.
Starting today and running through Friday May 29th, Kresge Library Services will be collecting non-perishable food items and other personal products for Washtenaw Area food banks (Saline Area Social Services and the Hope Clinic in Ypsilanti).
The best part of this program is that we can assist local food banks at a time when donations are at their lowest. During our food drives since 2011, we collected between 30 and 50 boxes each year for Washtenaw County Food Banks thanks to the generosity of the Ross Community. This could be a challenging year for many of us - so helping those in need would be doubly appreciated.
Here are the specs:
Dates: Monday March 9th through Friday May 29th, 2020
Location: Drop-off food items in the Kresge Library Services suite (K4521) on the 4th floor of Kresge Hall. The cart is right at the entrance of the Library's suite.
Times: You can drop off food anytime the building is open.
Per the guidelines established by many food banks, we ask you to make sure that the donated items are:
• Non-perishable food products
• Contained in factory-sealed containers
• Currently not expired products
• Not in glass containers (most food banks avoid these as they can break in transit)
Food Items in great need include:
• Tuna Fish or other canned fish or meat
• Beef Stew, Meat Soups
• Hearty Soups
• Canned Spaghetti or Pasta
• Chili
• Beans (kidney, pinto, green, yellow, refried or black beans)
• Baby Food or Formula
• Ensure or other nutritional supplement drinks
• Rice
• Dry Beans
• Noodles, Macaroni
• Powdered Milk
• Pancake or Baking Mixes
• Cereal/Oatmeal
• Granola Bars
• Peanut Butter
• Jelly (in plastic jars)
Many Food Banks also collect unopened personal products including:
• Diapers
• Toothpaste
• Toothbrushes
• Soap
• Shampoo
• Disposable Razors
• Travel sized personal products are also very useful
If you would rather make a donation to these organizations, that would also be wonderful:
So I have been very, very fortunate over the past year. Maybe not everything was perfect - but from a squirrel perspective - it was a great year. I thought it might be fun to pull together some of the highlights of my squirrel obsessed life in 2019. It was a banner year - and I hope to do this every year for Squirrel Appreciation Day - January 21st.
On Friday April 5th, 2019, I got my picture of the year. There is a cavity nest in the Law Quad in a tree that has since been taken down. I had seen this squirrel coming out of her cavity nest a few times, but I got the picture of the year one day around 10am when I got a great old yawn as she left the nest. I loved this picture right from the time I first saw it.
I decided that it would be a perfect one to send to the Comedy Wildlife Awards. I was thrilled when it was selected as a semi-finalist and then a finalist. In November, it was announced that this picture was recognized as Highly Commended!
Michigan Today Podcast
When I was asked by Deborah Holdship if I wanted to do a podcast about my interest in squirrels - I believe I said something to the extent of "you had me at squirrels." We did this late in the year and it came out just before the holidays.
Dude's got class....
When the Ross School of Business launched their Online MBA this year, the team they assembled to support the new endeavor were located in our suite. Among the team they brought in was Toon Mertens, a tremendous videographer who would produce a number of videos for the online program. They wanted to create a prototype of a 'pitch' video that faculty could use to attract attention for their classes from students.
I had just met Toon and he 'pitched' the idea to me upon returning from a February vacation. I was hoping that he would find a better idea - but he persisted. So off we went - co-writing this piece. Furthermore, he asked me questions that were recorded to get more spontaneity. This is a version that does not have the Block M - but it is just as much fun. This was tremendous fun.
Albino Squirrels in Olney, Illinois
Barbie National Convention was in Kansas City this year and Pam and I decided to drive. I learned about the albino squirrel population in Olney, Illinois from a great article in the Squirrel Week Series from John Kelly of the Washington Post. When I discovered that it was kinda on the way from Michigan to Kansas City, a plan was hatched!
We spent one night in Olney. On the first day, we visited with Belinda Henton, a certified wildlife rehabilitator and she invited me to look her up when we got into town. Pam and I went out to visit. She had a newborn albino (you can tell by the white in the nails) who needs to be bottle fed as it fell out of a nest. Then there was Rocky Dale. Rocky Dale seems to have suffered some brain damage as a result of a fall. He can move around, but only turns left (so he picked up the name Dale to honor the NASCAR legend). She let me hold Rocky Dale and he climbed all over me. It was amazing and the most fun I have had in a good while. She said that Rocky Dale is not like that with everyone - so that felt good.
The following day, I got this great picture of an albino squirrel by the Olney Library - because you can always find everything you need at the library!
The Squirrel Doctor Makes House Calls
I once spoke with a faculty member at Michigan who also is a fan of squirrels - and she mentioned about medication you can give squirrels who have mange. So when I started noticing some squirrels with mange in the Law Quad, I reached out to the Friends of Wildlife Michigan. They connected me with someone who has worked up some medicated pecans for me to feed the squirrel. Each dose is two pecans - to be given one week apart.
Here is "Patches O'Houlihan" on Monday July 1st 2019 in the Law Quad. This was a couple of days after I gave her the first dose. I named all the patients after characters in the 2004 movie "DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story."
Here is Patches on August 7th, 2019. Her fur had almost entirely grown back, with the exception of this area on her left leg that she was agitating. Over the coming months, it would be harder and harder to tell which ones had mange - so that was wonderful news.
Project 365 Squirrel Pictures at the University of Michigan
Here are all my pictures of the day featuring squirrels from the University of Michigan during 2019!
Lefty!
I do not give all the squirrels names - but one is so famous, she has actually two names. In December 2018, I first noticed a squirrel who was missing her front right paw. She also had part of her right ear removed. I have named her Lefty - though colleagues at the President's House and Tappan Hall call her Tripod. She has been seen in Law Quad, behind Martha Cook, in front of the Clements Library and by the President's House. All these locations are near South University.
I have seen a great deal of Lefty over the course of the year. There isn't a day where she does not cheer me up. She does great and does not suffer one bit by having three paws.
Dude is an Artist!
On December 1st, 2019, I participated in my first art show and showed a number of squirrel related items featuring my wonderful campus squirrels. This wonderful event was very well attended and featured 20 artists (including me) at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor). I also had my photos at Carrigan Cafe in Saline in September. Seems I will be the regular September artist at the cafe for the next few years!
Delmarva Peninsula Fox Squirrels
We were in Baltimore for the Integrity Toys Convention. Two hours to the south is Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. Was it worth driving nearly two hours each way from Baltimore to see these little ones - ABSOLUTELY! Here are pictures of Delmarva peninsula fox squirrels I saw on the trails near Wildlife Drive. I was very excited to see these squirrels for the first time on the Marsh Edge Trail and the Woods Trail along Wildlife Drive. They were tricky to photograph - as they were constantly moving and deep in the brush on the bottom of these wooded areas. So I did each trail at least three times to make sure that I got to see as many as I did. I ended up tossing nearly 2/3 of the pictures because they were not good. The squirrels are fantastic and I am so glad that I made the trip.
This is my first visit to this wonderful refuge - and hopefully not the last. Taken on Thursday October 10th, 2019.
Been an exciting year - from a squirrel perspective! Here's hoping for another great year in 2020!
