Tuesday 9th of December 2014 at 6:30 p.m. statement read in to the record at the Monroe County Legislature with a copy to each member by hand. Was allowed 2 minutes to speak. Mr President, Members of the Monroe County Legislature and Fellow Neighbors----- On Saturday, November 29, 2014 at about 2 P.M. I stood in a cold parking lot at 1515 West Ridge Road in Greece behind the Red Lobster and listened to a story about 200 people who came to Monroe County in New York to celebrate Thanksgiving weekend in 1978. These 200 people came from all over the United States and Canada to visit with family, friends, and schoolmates as well as bargain hunt at the Greece Town Mall. Many also planned to attend a dance later on November 25th. One of the families who came, the Sundue Family, consisted of a grandmother, daughter, and aunt from Ontario Canada. This family came for a shopping weekend to buy Christmas gifts. Incidentally they also dressed with their dancing shoes. On the morning of the 26th of November at 2 A.M., people were awakened at the Holiday Inn with the noise of people screaming and running down the hallway to get outside; some were still sleeping. With an hour, the Holiday Inn was nearly destroyed by fire. Ten visitors were lying on the blacktop in the parking lot with plastic covering their bodies. Party dresses, dancing shoes, and Christmas gifts were all gone. Many family members lost their lives. I have come here to ask you to pay tribute to these 200 people. The names of the family members who lost their loved ones appear below. In addition, I am requesting that on future Thanksgiving holidays, starting in 2015 and beyond that this Honorable Body issue a proclamation honoring them. We also need to pay tribute to the first responders from the County and City fire departments who put their lives in danger to save so many people while carrying out the ones who had died. I personally met a number of the first responders, particularly Brian Sundue, who drove down to Monroe County from Ottawa Canada, and carries the scares of that tragic Thanksgiving weekend. I feel we should continue to remember this tragic event as a community. Finally, thank you for the opportunity to share this story with you tonight. Starting in 2015 it is my hope that you can find it in your hearts to grant my request to briefly honor these families who lost so much. A list of all the people who lost their lives were included in my statement and where their lived. This statement was sent to our Congress Woman and levels of Government leaders right down to the Greece Town Supervisor, Police Chief, and Monroe County DA office. And handed to the D&C on the night. Please share this with your friends and Family I will, so the people who lost loved ones can have peace !
Posted on: Wed, 10 Dec 2014 10:53:16 +0000
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