By Laura Mazur
Community Post
A new committee is seeking to promote the grand of Grand Lake St. Marys.

The Lake Enhancement Committee strives to not only dispel misconceptions about the lake, but also to put facts out into the public.
Branched from the Auglaize and Mercer Counties Convention and Visitors Bureau, the committee has created a new brochure, as well as other ideas, to put the positive light back on the lake.
“We finally thought there had been enough negative things said about it,” explained CVB Board President Larry Stelzer.
Last fall, a newspaper article in Columbus reported a distortion of local findings and general inaccuracies about the water quality of the lake, according to CVB Executive Director Donna Grube.
This new brochure, however, highlights the outdoor recreation, boating and lodging opportunities on the lake, as well as 2008 events that are planned. The pamphlet is being passed out to local marinas, bait shops, Realtors and other businesses that wish to promote the positive aspects of the Grand Lake St. Marys.
“Local people take the lake for granted. It’s a great body of water,” said Stelzer.
A member of the committee, Stelzer joins local economic and environmental officials in showing what the lake and its surroundings have to offer. Although the committee admits there is improvement needed around the lake area, they’re still not going to overlook the positive things.
To accompany the new brochure, a new map of the lake showing these amenities is being displayed to visitors at tourism shows in Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Cleveland by the CVB. An added bonus is a drawing the CVB is holding for a free mini vacation giveaway to the lake. The giveaway is made possible by donations from the St. Marys and Celina-Mercer County chambers of commerce, Niekamp’s Farm and Flea Market, the Neil Armstrong Air and Space Museum, Fort Recovery Museum, the Bicycle Museum of America and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Parks.