2 women win Hero Awards

HURON — The Friends of Old Woman Creek recently presented two Hero Awards at its annual meeting. The Hero Award recognizes service that supports the mission of Old Woman Creek National Estuarine Research Reserve and State Nature Preserve. Each nominee must have shown evidence of having made an exceptional contribution to sustain the mission of Old Woman Creek Friends group, a nonprofit that promotes public awareness and appreciation for the uniqueness of the Old Woman Creek Estuary in Huron. Old Woman Creek is one of Ohio's "best-remaining examples of a natural estuary. The estuary serves as a field laboratory where scientists can study this naturally functioning system and as a place where visitors can learn about estuarine ecology in a natural setting." Here are the two who have, according to members. Dorothy Bush The first recipient was nominated by Jacob Cianci-Gaskill, who oversees the water qualitylab at Old Woman Creek. Dorothy Bush, of Lorain, is a volunteer in that lab. Bush has been a dedicated volunteer in the lab since 2022. She works three to four hours weekly without fail and has improved the water quality program in many ways, Jacob said. The job is not fun or glamorous but is repetitive and tedious, but Bush continues to support the lab and steps up to work more hours when they are shorthanded, he said. Rosie Kovacs The second recipient was nominated by Holly Latteman, a former Old Woman Creek intern who is the interim director of science and conservation at Dawes Arboretum in Newark. Rosie Kovacs, of Huron, is vice president of the Friends of Old Woman Creek as well as a volunteer at the front desk, greeting and helping visitors. Kovacs began volunteering in 2016 for the avian monitoring program, taking photos that have been used in various publications. When asked to join the board of trustees in 2016, she agreed and has served ever since. She took over management of the nature gift shop at the visitor center and has done wonders. She encompasses the mission of Old Woman Creek. Other winners The names of all the honorees are permanently inscribed on a plaque at the Reserve's Visitor Center at 2514 Cleveland Road E. in Huron. Old Woman Creek is part of a network of 30 coastal reserves across the U.S., which are administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. There are only two freshwater estuaries in this group. The other is in Lake Superior.