Ring a bell: Rosie the Riveters celebrated on Labor Day
YPSILANTI TWP., Mich. (FOX 2) - At Willow Run Airport a celebration of Rosie the Riveter was held this Labor Day.
"The women stepped up to do things they weren’t accustomed to doing, and a lot of people really didn’t think they could do," said Jeannette Gutierrez.
Rosie is an iconic symbol representing women like 99-year-old Betty Hinzmann who represent females who went to work in factories as the men who held those jobs, went to serve their country in World War II.
"Sometimes I was on top of the canopy with the rivet gun," Hinzmann said.
Now 100 years old, Clara Belle also remembers leaving home to work in factory.
"I'm not old, I've just been around for a long time," Belle quipped. "When they said men were going off to war and everything, and that they needed help. So I ran over and got the job and I put in to be a riveter."
Belle was working on the wing of an aircraft known as the B-24 Bomber.
It wasn’t easy work but these women got the job done
"I learned how to handle that gun because that was a heavy gun," she said. "I have people laughing now they think they’re doing the hustle and everything, but we did hustle way back then with that gun."
Belle and the other Rosies had no idea that they were making history at that moment in time.
"I wasn’t looking at that part of it, I was looking at the salary to tell you the truth," Belle said.
Fast forward and the significance of those contributions made by these women continue to be honored at yearly events like "Ring A Bell for Rosie."
At 1 p.m. the group joined others across the country to ring a bell as part of a Labor Day Celebration.
"On Labor Day everyone rings a bell in honor of Rosie the Riveter and her incredible contributions during World War II," said Gutierrez.
"It means a lot to me," Belle said.
As Belle gets ready to turn 101 next month she hopes that generations to come never forget the accomplishments of Rosie the Riveter or her work ethic.
"Respect yourself, so you can be respected," she said.
