Freshwater VoicesThe Newsletter of Freshwater FutureFreshwater Voices is the newsletter of Freshwater Future, published four times per year. Freshwater Voices is intended to provide a forum for the free exchange of ideas among citizens and organizations working to protect aquatic habitats in the Great Lakes Basin. Volume 17, Number 4 • Fall 2009 Grassroots Citizen Advocate Award—2009Once a teacher, always a teacher and Mary Jo Cullen has taught us many things— work hard for what you believe in; be creative; ask questions; ask for help; do not give up; and be nice. But most of all Mary Jo has taught us how to be great advocates for water and the environment. Freshwater Future is pleased to award the 2009 Grassroots Citizen Advocate Award to Mary Jo Cullen for her dedication and work to protect the Great Lakes. As a citizen advocate, Mary Jo has helped Citizens Concerned for Michipicoten Bay’s effort to protect the largest undeveloped stretch of Lake Superior from an aggregate mining project. Mary Jo’s energy and enthusiasm helped draw international attention and involvement of artists, authors, and famous leaders. Her knowledge and expertise working on issues around Lake Superior also lead her to share her skills with Gravel Watch Ontario. There she has served on the Board and helped coordinate speakers for their events. Freshwater Future has been fortunate to have Mary Jo serve on our Board of Directors for the past three years and serve two years as the Fundraising Committee Chair. There she has shared her leadership skills and shined as a fundraiser—helping us transition to an independent organization with an active Board and solid financials. As a teacher, Mary Jo taught French and special education. As an advocate, she has taught people around Lake Superior and Lake Ontario about how we can all play a role in protecting these Great Lakes. An avid paddler (both kayak and canoe), we thank Mary Jo for her service and hope her years ahead are filled with many wonderful paddling adventures on the Great Lakes. |
Freshwater Future builds effective community-based citizen action to protect and restore the water quality of the Great Lakes basin. We work toward this goal by providing financial assistance, communications and networking assistance and technical assistance to citizens and grassroots watershed groups throughout the Great Lakes basin. Through these efforts we work with over 1,800 grassroots watershed groups and citizens to protect and restore the rivers, lakes and wetlands in their communities. Freshwater Future is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization. For more information, please contact: info@freshwaterfuture.org |