Vote online to win $250,000 in grant money from the Pepsi Refresh Project to save Grand Lake St. Marys
Grand Lake St. Marys finished in the Top 100 in December’s Pepsi Refresh Project voting, giving us a second chance to win $250,000 in January to help save Grand Lake. Your vote can help us win $250,000 to help save Grand Lake St. Marys. Now more than ever it is important for all stakeholders – citizens, businesses, producers, and visitors – to log on to the Pepsi Refresh Project and vote for Grand Lake St. Marys.
In an initiative jointly led by the Grand Lake Restoration Commission and the Mercer County Civic Foundation, if Grand Lake wins one of two $250,000 grants the money will be used to fund a water-cleansing “treatment train” comprised of an aeration unit ($75K), sediment collector ($125K) and a rock pier ($50K). You can vote for the Grand Lake project once per day for 30 days by visiting http://www.refresheverything.com/savegrandlakestmarys or by texting 104816 to Pepsi (73774).
The Lake Improvement Association is urging everyone to vote and to share the link with friends, family, and co-workers to encourage them to vote to help Save Grand Lake St. Marys.
Grand Lake Pepsi Refresh Project: How and Why to Vote FAQ
How can I vote for the Grand Lake Pepsi Refresh Project?
Vote for the Grand Lake project by visiting http://www.refresheverything.com/savegrandlakestmarys or by texting 104816 to Pepsi (73774).
How many times can I vote?
You can vote for up to ten different projects each day for 30 days, which means you can vote for the Grand Lake project once per day for 30 days.
What is the voting deadline?
Voting ends January 31 – vote now to make sure yours is counted!
Who should vote?
Our project is up against up to 1,000 other projects, so every vote is needed from all stakeholders: all citizens, local leaders, organizations, producers, businesses, hunters and fishers, boaters, campers, visitors, environmentalists, tourists, and, especially, you.
What are the goals of the Grand Lake Pepsi Refresh Project?
- The goals of the project are to:
- To restore the health of Grand Lake St Marys
- To find and purchase technology that will remove phosphorus
- To dredge silt from the lake bottom creating islands
- To return a $200 million tourism industry to the region
The goal is to be awarded $250,000 in grant money by obtaining the most votes. If awarded, the funds will be used for purchasing and installing a water cleansing “treatment train” comprised of an aeration unit, ($75K), sediment collector ($125K) and a rock pier ($50K).
What is a treatment train?
A treatment train consists of a sediment collector that intercepts nutrient laden silt before it enters the lake; an aeration device that introduces dissolved oxygen into the entire water column; a floating wetland whose roots absorb nutrients suspended in the water and a rock pier that will direct the flow of water through these devices.
The goal of the Commission to install a treatment train on every tributary entering the lake thus removing phosphorus and other detrimental nutrients that feed toxic blue green algae, and to dredge the mouths of the incoming tributaries creating islands and removing nutrient laden silt already in the lake bottom.