Sandusky woman wins Hero Award

HURON — Sandra Burris, a past president of the Friends of Old Woman Creek, received the organization's Hero Award on Feb. 24 at the group's annual meeting. A longtime board member, she was president when the Hero Award was created in 2012 to honor a person or group who made exceptional contributions to sustaining the mission of Old Woman Creek, a state nature preserve and national estuarine research reserve in Huron. She became vice president in 2003 when there were only 39 friends members and six board members. An avid birder, she became president in 2007 and served for eight years and then assumed the duties of past president for six years. While president, according to Marian Hancy, a long-time board member who presented the award to Burris, she helped in: • Doubling the organization's membership • Expanding the gift shop • Ensuring the group had a presence, with booths, at Erie MetroParks-sponsored festivals • Doling out transportation grants so schools could visit Old Woman Creek "Sandy was generous with her time and talent," according to an organizational statement. "She made bookmarks each year to thank the volunteers for their service. She attended several National Estuarine Research Reserve conferences as (a friends) representative. Under her leadership, the (organization) reached out to the community and worked on many joint projects." Today Burris serves as president for the Friends of Magee Marsh. She and her husband, Dick, live in Sandusky.