Linda May has received the 2011 Guardian of the Lake Award for her tremendous contributions to saving Grand Lake St. Marys. Linda has been a tireless volunteer for the Grand Lake St. Marys Restoration Commission, and her tireless efforts have been critical to achieving the success we’ve had to-date.
Linda is applauded for bringing a sense of urgency for the need to understand the economic impact of Grand Lake St. Marys, and the negative impact bad publicity has on it. She measured decreases in local real estate sales and property values, and then demonstrated how those decreases resulted in lost property tax revenue. Her research inspired further work by others that helped to measure the loss of local revenue due to the overall drop in tourism. Documenting these losses has been significant in the effort to raise funding as well as in making our case to state and federal agencies and legislators.
Linda has been integral in raising more than $800,000 in local individual and business donations as well as the receipt of approximately $5 million in state and federal funding to help save Grand Lake St. Marys.
Her role as a public relations and marketing expert have been critical to helping the GLSMRC communicate with the public, raise funds, and otherwise meet their goals. In addition, Linda has helped to bolster positive public morale regarding the future of Grand Lake St. Marys.
Linda May has been a valuable participant in meetings, a natural leader who played an exceptionally helpful role in the development of the comprehensive strategic plan endorsed by Gov. Kasich.
The Guardian of the Lake Award is given annually to an individual for extraordinary efforts to restore Grand Lake St. Marys, and Linda May has met and exceeded that requirement.
If you see Linda, please take a moment to say "thank you" for having worked so hard to benefit us all.
Thank you Linda!