Honoring Our Workers: Reflections from Today’s Memorial Ceremony
By Matt Lentsch
Today in Mishawaka, we gathered as a community for a solemn but important event—our Workers Memorial Day ceremony. Each year, on April 28th, we come together to honor and remember the men and women who have died, been injured, or suffered illness as a result of their work. Today was no different. Today, we stood side by side, united in remembrance and commitment.
The ceremony reminded all of us that behind every name and every number is a family, a story, a life that mattered. We honored their memories not just with words, but with a pledge to continue fighting for safer workplaces, stronger protections, and dignity for every working person.
As I looked around the gathering, I was struck by the strength of our community. Union members, city leaders, local workers, families—all coming together in solidarity. It’s a powerful reminder that the work of ensuring safe jobs is not the responsibility of a few; it is a collective promise we must keep to each other.
In my prayer during the ceremony, I asked for strength for the families who have suffered loss, protection for those still on the job, and wisdom for our leaders. It is my hope that our actions, not just our prayers, will carry forward the memories of those we have lost.
Workers Memorial Day is not just a day of mourning. It is a call to action. We owe it to the fallen and their families to make sure that every worker can go to work and return home safely at the end of the day. That is the legacy we must build.
Thank you to our Mishawaka Common Council President Gregg Hixenbaugh, Clerk Debbie Ladyga Block, Mayor Wood, the St. Joseph County United Way and all of the Union representatives including the AFL-CIO as well as everyone from the community that came out today and took the time to remember as well as recommitted themselves to this important cause. Together, we honor the past—and together, we shape a safer future.
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