SerpApi.Org
TO THE EDITOR:
During the days of July 3 and July 4, 2026, about 8,000 people signed a 50 foot tall replica of the Declaration of Independence in downtown Midland across from the Dow Diamond. What a powerful way to celebrate America’s 250th Birthday!
“Hat’s off” to Bill Stavropoulos and Matt Smith for their leadership on this community project. These two leaders are terrific. Bill Stavropoulos is the former CEO of Dow Chemical, has great ideas and is a guy who simply refuses to retire. Matt Smith is a local realtor at Modern Realty and a marathon runner who has a “to do” list longer than the Tittabawassee River.
Matt put together an outstanding volunteer team of Michael Goad, Jacob Cain, Gaye Terwillegar, Jenee Velasquez, Brad Tunney, Evan Burdick and Kevin LaDuke to help on this effort. Thank you all very much.
Three Rivers Corporation did a standout job in building the structure supporting this huge replica of the Declaration and providing a crane to keep it up. Great team, great local business.
McKay Press printed the Declaration of Independence. Thank you.
A big thank you to the following people who read portions of America’s foundational document on the 4th of July in front of a big crowd on a hot day: Mayor Maureen Donker, Sara Ladwein, Brad Blanchard, Farah Merk, Cliff Block, Ayesha Middha, Sheriff Scott Holzinger, Natalie Glann, Anthony Storer, Julie Smith, State Representative Bill G. Schuette, Elizabeth Vanchura, Officer Madison Logsdon, Brady Meyette, County Commissioner Ken Mault, Brooke Reinke, Battilion Chief Mark Laux, Sharon Mortensen, Vicki Mikusko, Mirabelle Alade, Walker Pendleton, State Senator Chedrick Greene, Congresswoman Kristen Rivet and the Rev. Wally Mayton.
These individuals represent, in part, the texture of Midland, the State of Michigan and the United States.
The Chemical City Band and local vocalist Gretchen Shope kept the crowd moving with wonderful music and songs.
This community project received assistance and financial support from the Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation, the Charles J. Strosacker Foundation, The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation, the Midland Area Community Foundation, the Michigan Baseball Foundation, City of Midland, Fisher Companies, Dow Credit Union, Midland Noon Rotary Club and the Midland Exchange Club. Thank you for being engaged in our American celebration.
Our town has embraced the message of American aspiration with the hope and promise of achieving a more perfect union in the years to come.
Midland is an ongoing story of a town with resiliency, big aspirations and determination, just like America. 1,336 of the 1,337 words of the Declaration of Independence, some of the finest sentences ever written by Thomas Jefferson, were spelled correctly. I am certain that our Founders had challenges of their own in Philadelphia 250 years ago.
BILL SCHUETTE
Midland
