Joining well-known people from around the country like Oprah Winfrey and Tom Brokaw, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm and First Gentleman Daniel G. Mulhern today observed National Thank Your Mentor Day by publicly thanking individuals who mentored them in their lives.

Governor Granholm thanked Judge Damon Keith of Detroit for being her mentor when she was a law clerk in his office. Mr. Mulhern thanked Father Francis Canfield of St. John's High School in Toledo. He was Mr. Mulhern's high school counselor at U of D High School in Detroit. Mr. Mulhern credits Father Canfield for making a dramatic difference in his life.

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Governor Granholm and Mr. Mulhern each are involved in mentoring young people today. The Governor mentors a twelve-year-old in Detroit, while the First Gentleman mentors a nine-year-old in Lansing.

"Mentoring is the height of public service - to make a difference in the life of a young person," Governor Granholm said. "Mentors get as much out of mentoring as their mentees."

January is National Mentoring Month, a nationwide initiative to recruit more mentors for young people who are at risk of not realizing their full potential. In Michigan, Mr. Mulhern has led the Mentor Michigan initiative to recruit mentors for every child who would like to spend time with a caring, responsible individual. National Thank Your Mentor Day is part of the activities during the month to help call attention to the need for more mentors.

For more information on mentoring in Michigan, see the Mentor Michigan web site at www.mentormichigan.org.