WHEREAS, the World Health Organization first designated the outbreak of COVID-19 as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on January 30, 2020 and went on to declare the exponential growth and occurrence of the virus as a pandemic on March 11, 2020; and
WHEREAS, Alaska’s healthcare workers are on the front lines, tirelessly guarding the many who are falling victim to this viral assault, strategically fighting this disease and continuing to provide exceptional treatment for all the other medical frailties to which we, as human beings, are subject to; and
WHEREAS, prayer sustains and comforts all through times of hardship and crisis; providing an avenue of hope paved with strength, faith, and spiritual light;
WHEREAS, prayer is a powerful tool that has been utilized throughout history, to guide, unify, and uplift; providing inspiration and internal strength to persevere and overcome in the face of crisis and calamity;
WHEREAS, Alaskans, as Americans, are afforded the right of individual and organized prayer, affirming our spiritual freedom and the principles upon which our nation was founded; and
WHEREAS, we pray for our first responders, law enforcement personnel, fire professionals, healthcare workers, teachers and educators, essential workforce employees, transportation experts, store clerks, small business owners, daycare providers, hairdressers and barbers, estheticians, physical therapists, masseuses, all those who have become unemployed, underemployed, or ill as a result of COVID-19, neighbors, friends, families, and state and local government leaders; and
WHEREAS, embracing hope, showing gratitude, and being thankful for the many blessings we receive daily form the foundation to surviving critical times.
NOW THEREFORE, I, Mike Dunleavy, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF ALASKA, do hereby proclaim April 10 as:
Alaska’s Day of Prayer and Hope
and encourage all Alaskans to offer their heartfelt prayers for their fellow citizens, throughout the state and nation, who are struggling with the tribulations caused by this debilitating pandemic. We collectively pray for the continued safety and well-being of all our fellow citizens, those across America and the entire world and give thanks that we will prevail because of the sacrifice and heroism of those who are on the frontlines of our war on COVID-19.
