Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It has special memories for our family, it is an opportunity to combine food and football, and especially it provides a few days to focus on being thankful. Because of this, my family and I have a yearly tradition of creating a turkey hand drawing.

This year the Turkey Hand drawing has an added significance. Why? Hopefully all of you received the attached message Tuesday regarding hand safety. We have had a rash of hand injuries this fall. This is not surprising, as our hands often get hurt while we work; a majority of our injuries this year (and most every year) are hand injuries.

Thus I encourage you this Thanksgiving holiday to think about how you use your hands – making a dish for the big spread, throwing a ball with your children, writing a thank you note to a friend. And make a commitment specific to keeping your hands safe while you carve the turkey, heat the stuffing on the stove, or put up the holiday decorations this weekend. My 3 hand commitments:

• I will wash or sanitize my hands before entering the kitchen. (I don’t cook much, but I do graze.)

• I will shake the hands of all my family and friends we see next week. (The C-ville crew.)

• I will hold the hands of Missy and our kids at least once on Friday while we are enjoying some small family time. (Hook’em Horns!)

Please allow me to share my Turkey Hand and some added context.

• Pinky finger is in recognition of the many APM Divisions that have worked 100% safe this year – Aero, Renewables, Specialty, and Canada. And a special recognition to Boiler USA, who has now worked 3 years without a significant injury. Thank you all.

• Ring finger is in recognition of my family – my wife Missy, our three wonderful kids, and extended family, with whom we will spend some time with this next week. They are my first Why! … Why I work and why I work safe.

• Middle finger is in recognition of another World Series run by the Houston Astros!

• Pointer finger is for YOU!, my amazing APM team. You are my second Why! … Why I get up every morning excited to empower you to power life. I am proud of the excellence we continue to deliver in challenging times. Thank YOU!

• Finally, the palm. At the core of my thanks is my faith. In the current hand safety challenge, I have looked at some scriptural references to the hand. Two Psalms have especially been my meditation, Psalm 74:23 and 139:10. I gain confidence in knowing that, despite my own human weakness and the volatile world we live in, there is One greater than I holding my hand.

This Thanksgiving holiday, I would encourage you to create your own personalized turkey hand and share it. I would love to see the things that for which you are thankful.

And for the ~2,000 craft who may be working this next week, many on Thanksgiving day, along with our corporate support teams (ops leaders, safety managers, tool center techs, job and payroll and billing and technology specialists), a special Thank You! for your sacrifice.

May we all enjoy a safe, healthy, and blessed Thanksgiving!

-Jake