[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 120 (Wednesday, September 29, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1727]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING MR. WILLIAM GRIGGS

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. CAROLYN C. KILPATRICK

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 28, 2004

  Ms. KILPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of the State 
of Michigan's longest serving public officials, Mr. William Griggs.
  Born in Wyandotte on August 20, 1941, Bill is the youngest of four 
boys in the Griggs family. His father, Lloyd, was employed at National 
Steel, in Ecorse, Michigan, for 39 years.
  In 1959, Bill was involved in a severe automobile accident which left 
him a paraplegic and confined to a wheelchair. He finished high school 
while recovering in the University of Michigan Hospital.
  Graduating from Wayne State University with a bachelors degree in 
business administration in 1967, Bill went on to receive a Masters 
Degree in Recreation and Parks from Wayne State in 1975.
  Bill is married to the former Judy Mierzewjewski and together they 
share the love of her children Lorrie McQuiston and Patrick McGrath. 
Lorrie resides in Trenton, MI and has two children, while Patrick 
resides in Chicago, IL and has four children.
  Bill Griggs was elected City Clerk by the voters of Wyandotte in 1973 
and has been re-elected 13 times since--for a total of 31 years service 
to the citizens of Wyandotte, Michigan.
  Bill was appointed to the Michigan Commission on the Employment of 
the Handicapped in 1976 by Governor William Milliken and served for 
three years. He was appointed, by Governor James Blanchard, to the 
Michigan Job Training Coordinating Council in 1985 and served for one 
year.
  Bill represented the United States in eleven different International 
Wheelchair competitions, including those held in England, Israel, 
Argentina, Mexico, Canada and Peru:
  Bill has been the President, Vice-President and Treasurer of the 
Michigan Wheelchair Athletic Committee and served as a member of the 
Board of Directors of the National Wheelchair Athletic Committee from 
1971 to 1976.
  Bill Griggs has received many honors over the years from numerous 
local clubs and organizations, including being named Outstanding 
Wheelchair Athletic of the year, based on a nationwide poll, in 1971; 
Outstanding Downriver Citizen by the Downriver Pennsylvania Club in 
1974; Outstanding Young Man by the Wyandotte Jaycees in 1975; recipient 
of the Citation of Honor from the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary in 
1975; Outstanding Government Official by the Michigan Rehabilitation 
Association in 1976; the 1986 Wyandotte Citizen of the Year award from 
the Wyandotte Service Clubs Council; elected to the Theodore Roosevelt 
High School Hall of Fame in 1991; inducted into the U.S. Wheelchair 
Sports Hall of Athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame; and many more.
  As you can see Mr. William Griggs is well deserving of our 
recognition for his many years of service to this community.

                          ____________________