ADOPTED - JANUARY 25, 2005

Agenda Item No. 26

Introduced by the County Services Committee of the:

INGHAM COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

RESOLUTION PROCLAIMING FEBRUARY 7, 2005 MARION “BABE” RUTH DAY IN INGHAM COUNTY

RESOLUTION #05-011

WHEREAS, Marion "Babe" Weyant Ruth, one of Lansing's pioneer female aviators, was born on February 7, 1918, in Lansing; and

WHEREAS, by the time she was a teenager her dream was to become a pilot, this was a time when female aviators were rare - she took her first flight in 1931, a trip won by her great-grandfather at an air show; and

WHEREAS, in 1933, “Babe” wrote to the legendary Amelia Earhart, asking for advice, the handwritten response she received encouraged her not to be afraid to "work very hard.", which is exactly what she did; and

WHEREAS, In 1934, she set up a small concession stand at Capital City Airport to earn money for flying lessons, in 1935 this concession stand turned into a restaurant; and

WHEREAS, “Babe” achieved her dream at the age of 18 when she flew her first solo flight on October 27, 1936, and received her pilot's license in 1937; and

WHEREAS, she participated in dozens of flying competitions, received her commercial pilot's license, was chosen as one of 5 women with commercial licenses to teach pilots to fly in World War II, and received numerous awards for her accomplishments as a female pilot; and

WHEREAS,  “Babe” was inducted into the Michigan Aviation Hall of Fame in 1988, the OX-5 Aviation Pioneer Hall of Fame in 1995 and the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame in 2003; and

WHEREAS, for many years, “Babe” campaigned for the airport to install a display honoring local aviators, her hard work paid off when the Capital Region Airport Authority Board finally approved adding such an exhibit, the “Wall of Fame”, at its November 2, 2004 meeting; and

WHEREAS, Marion "Babe" Weyant Ruth passed away on November 20, 2004.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Ingham County Board of Commissioners proclaims February 7, 2005 Marion “Babe” Ruth day in Ingham County as a tribute to “Babe” for her many accomplishments and for serving as a role model and leader for women in Ingham County.

COUNTY SERVICES: Yeas:  Celentino, Copedge, De Leon, Schor, Severino, Vickers

   Nays:  None             Absent:  None            Approved 1/18/05