Page 6 - From The Desk Of Robert J Cannon

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FROM THE DESK OF ROBERT J.CANNON, SUPERVISOR – 6
Rain or Shine, Cold or Wind-Honoring Vets Important to Cannon
During his tenure as Clinton Township Supervisor, Robert Cannon has made it a top priority to honor U.S. military veterans and those currently serving our country. “I feel strongly about recognizing the sacrifices our veterans have made for our country. It is very touching and emotional to witness the public who come together at these events to pray and remember their service,” said Supervisor Robert Cannon.
Rain or shine, cold or windy, each year Cannon has been the master of ceremonies in Veterans Day and Memorial Day services at Resurrection Cemetery at their beautiful American Veterans Memorial assisted by the Vietnam Veterans Chapter 154.
Supervisor Cannon has participated in a Wreaths Across America event every December at Resurrection Cemetery remembering deceased veterans during the holiday season.
Clinton Township Supervisor Robert Cannon along with Resurrection Cemetery, held its first 9/11 memorial event 3 days after the tragedy took place, remembers the victims of the attacks, the first responders, and even the Ground Zero workers who have died from related illnesses. The timely multi-denominational 9-11 service held 19 years ago on September 14, 2001 was attended by more than 300 concerned individuals. Supervisor Cannon stated “I hope that we will be united in our efforts against terrorism, wherever it may occur in the world.” Each September for the past 19 years, Supervisor Cannon has
made sure a 9/11 Memorial Service has taken place at Resurrection Cemetery.
In keeping with this spirit of recognition and honor, Supervisor Cannon has worked to bring two memorials – a traveling exhibit and a permanent monument to be located in Clinton Township.
The Wall That Heals, is a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial, a program of the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial Fund, the nonprofit that built the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial in Washington, D.C., in 1982. Due to COVID concerns, the Wall visit to the Clinton Township Civic Center has been postphoned until 2021.
This will be the third time in the past 10 years Supervisor Cannon and Clinton Township will have hosted The Wall That Heals.
Clinton Township to be home to Goldstar Family Monument
Senior Services
The Clinton Township Senior Adult Life Center is a constant hub of activity with many seniors 55 and older participating in a host of activities. Books discussion, computer training, physical fitness, crafts, health information, travel, hair and nail services, games, gardening and organized sports are all activities that are offered continuously at the township’s awarding winning senior adult life center.
Center staff is 100% AED and CPR certified and boast a degreed Gerontologist director. “Our senior citizens continue to give back to the community in many ways through their creativity and hard work. And our Center staff does an outstanding job coordinating all of the programs, said Robert “Bob” Cannon, Clinton Township Supervisor.
SMART partners with Clinton Township to provide much needed transportation to seniors 65 and older, and handicapped and disabled residents of any age. Contact the Clinton Township Supervisor Robert Cannon’s Office at 586-723-8093 for information and tickets.
The Center’s quarterly newsletter with information and classes is 100% paid for by advertising. Seniors at the Center have raised money to provide annual scholarships for Clinton Township high school seniors, donated thousands of pounds of fresh produce grown on the Center grounds by gardening enthusiasts to local food banks, and hundreds of thousands of dollars has been raised to offset Center program costs and add space to the Center over time. A Monarch butterfly waystation has also been established by volunteers. Go to https://clintontownship.com/seniors-center.html for up-to- date programs.
Memories that last a lifetime
Rich with tradition and values the recreation department has an established foundation built upon award winning programs and events for the community at affordable rates, while sometimes even free with the assistance of grants and partnerships.
“The Clinton Township Recreation Department has always been on the forefront of trends and amenities for our residents,” said Supervisor Robert Cannon. A few examples of this include many firsts for the southeast Michigan area or Macomb County including the addition of a dog park, utilization of recreation software for online registrations and establishing pickle ball courts.
Due to the COVID pandemic many of the township’s recreation programs have were cancelled and several online activities including FREE video tutorials, crafts, fitness, games and activities can be found at their Virtual Recreation Center at https://clintontownship.com/virtual- rec-center.html.
A few of the department’s usual, non-pandemic pride points include leadership roles at the state and local levels and training opportunities for seasonal employees beneficial to the community such as Kulture City inclusivity training. This training creates acceptance and inclusion of persons especially for those who have sensory processing needs. The full time staff members are all Certified Parks and Recreation Professionals by the highly esteemed National Parks and Recreation Association.
Some of the programs overseen include the ever popular and in demand Trick or Treat Trail, Easter Egg-citement and Daddy Daughter Dance.
Also, the Department oversees the summer youth day camp with more than 900 youths each-a huge undertaking. This includes hiring and training the camp counselors, arranging field trips, reserving school sites, providing supplies and daily lesson plans for crafts and sports.
The Department also oversees the July concerts, fireworks, Festival of Senses and Yasu Sister City Cultural Exchange Program. Music and Movies in the Park Series drew hundreds of people becoming a family favorite in the summer. Many of the programs offered are from supplemental partnerships exceeding $65,000 in 2019 not including in- kind donations for special events.
The Department has also assisted with grant writing such as the universally accessible kayak launch at the George George Memorial Park and other improvement grants throughout the township.
Plans are moving forward to erect a permanent Gold Star Families Memorial Monument on the grounds of the Clinton Township Civic Center. The term “Gold Star Family” refers to the immediate family members of a service member who died while serving in a time of conflict. This memorial monument will help raise public awareness about Gold Star Families’ enduring legacy and honor the ultimate sacrifice made by their loved one.
The Township has approved a monument location on its civic center site and Robert Cannon, Clinton
Township Supervisor, is working with the same dedicated citizens who organize Wreaths Across America. Although still in the planning stages and somewhat slowed due to COVID, Clinton Township hopes the project will be complete by mid 2021. The cost of the monument is $75,000. Robert Cannon has pledged $10,000 of his personal funds to this monument. “My grandparents were a Gold Star Family and I remember the pain they endured over the loss of my uncle whom I am named after,” said Supervisor Robert Cannon.
Why you Should Consider Split Party Voting
Split-ticket voting allows voters to cast votes for candidates from different political parties for different offices. On the other hand, straight-party voting, allows voters to cast their vote for all of the candidates in the same political party for every office up for election with one mark on their ballot.
When voting straight party, all votes go for that slate of candidates without even looking at the names of those running. Think of that for a moment. Simply because a candidate is affiliated with a party, they automatically receive your vote, sight unseen allowing unfit candidates to get automatic votes. Remember Karen Spranger in 2016 elected via straight party votes for Macomb County Clerk? After being elected she was removed for fraudulently filing for office. Remember Dean Reynolds for Clinton Township Supervisor who got thousands of straight party
Democratic votes after being indicted on federal bribery and corruption charges?
Straight party may keep voters from thinking critically about all the candidates on the ballot and encourage partisan polarization. Such risks can be particularly acute at lower levels of government, where the predominant issues don't always break down neatly into Republican and Democratic views.
If folks fall for the straight party ploy, they spend less time thinking through the pros and cons of candidates than they do buying a car. You would not walk into a car dealership and say, ‘Give me any car you’ve got as long as it’s from your dealership. That’s all I care about.’ The idea of buying a car that way sounds ridiculous, but how many people actually choose to vote the straight-party ticket?
This is a crucial election and each vote counts. It is our duty to do our homework.
Why People Support Bob Cannon for Supervisor
Frank Pizzo – retired Clinton Township Recreation Director, Chippewa Valley High School graduate
“As a lifelong resident and retired Recreation Director, I have always admired how Bob Cannon has worked relentlessly to improve the quality of life for the residents of Clinton Township. He was instrumental in the development of the recreation department and continues to build and support recreational opportunities for all. I support him for this reason. Bob is very fair and not driven by party politics.”