GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – Labor Day traditions vary by families, but most of the time it results in firing up the grill and serving burgers, hot dogs and brats.
That was no different at Bay Beach, where the annual Labor Day picnic hosted by the Greater Green Bay Labor Council was held. But it means more to the group of people that attend this event every year. It gives them a chance to thank the men and women who work so hard for their communities.
“Labor is what our future and our democracy are all about. Paying our wages and our benefits, and I always get well taken care of, and I believe what we do here today stresses the fact that labor in this day is so very important,” said former State Sen. Dave Hansen.
The picnic brings the community together to celebrate the labor force and its impact on the growth of Green Bay and the country.
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“Well, just to celebrate the labor force in general, and we are all involved in it, whether you’re at the bottom or the top of the work chain, the labor force keeps this country running,” said George Sincock, a retired carpenter.
For many, Labor Day is a holiday off from work and a day before returning back to school. But for some, it’s a normal workday in their week.
“There are people that do have to work today — nurses, police officers, firemen, linemen to keep the electricity on, gas guys,” said Steve McFarlane, president of the Labor Council. “There are a bunch of them working, but everyone else should be celebrating. It’s a great day for labor. Celebrating what labor built in this country, without them, it’s pretty tough.”
The picnic was about celebrating the backbone of the area — the people that work every day to make sure the community has what it needs for everyday life.
