Reps. Adamini, Brown, Anderson, Bieda, Casperson, Dennis, Ehardt, Elkins, Jamnick, O'Neil, Sak, Vagnozzi, Zelenko, Accavitti, Byrum, Condino, DeRossett, Farrah, Gillard, Gleason, Hardman, Hopgood, Kolb, Meisner, Minore, Murphy, Phillips, Plakas, Shackleton, Sheltrown, Spade, Stallworth, Tobocman and Wojno offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 292.

            A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States to appropriate funds in support of the Big Bay Cliff Health Camp in Marquette County.

            Whereas, Bay Cliff Health Camp was established in 1934 as a voluntary nonprofit organization under the leadership of officials of the Michigan Public Health Department to serve the underprivileged and undernourished children from the 15 counties of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula; and  

            Whereas, Bay Cliff Health Camp was established in Big Bay, Michigan, in northern Marquette County, utilizing a secluded farm as a site.  Through special funding from the Michigan Crippled Children’s Fund initiated by Sen. James Couzens, the camp added facilities to serve and treat children with polio beginning in the early 1940s; and

            Whereas, Bay Cliff Health Camp, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization led by a volunteer board of directors, raises contributions to fund, at no cost to the families, the attendance of all Upper Peninsula children who attend the seven-week summer therapy camp program; and

            Whereas, During its 70 years, Bay Cliff Health Camp has served over 11,000 children.  It continues to serve children from across the entire Upper Peninsula who have physical disabilities such as cerebral palsy; traumatic brain injury; spinal cord injury; degenerative neurological diseases; and various speech, hearing, and vision disabilities.  This program has helped these children to lead successful, productive lives; and

            Whereas, The Bay Cliff Health Camp board of directors has set a bold vision to renovate its 70-year-old facilities in order to make them accessible by the standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act and to upgrade the facilities to make them inhabitable year round, thereby enabling the camp to offer health and therapy programs all year for more children and adults with various disabilities; and

            Whereas, It is appropriate for this legislative body to express support for the proposed appropriation in the United States Health, Labor and Social Services fiscal year 2005 budget that would assist Bay Cliff Health Camp with the renovation of its facilities; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the Congress of the United States to appropriate funds in support of the Big Bay Cliff Health Camp in Marquette County; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.