From the Nominator

This video is a part of an ever-expanding series that profiles people who live along, work on, or enjoy the Great Lakes, their tributaries, and coasts. The series offers a microcosm of this large freshwater system, which is the focus of our university-based research and outreach program. This video, like the others, is a way to advance our brand—that of a relevant, science-based, academically grounded organization that serves coastal and Great Lakes needs. The subject is an 86-year-old with a long tradition of hunting and fishing behind her. She is also an accomplished folk artist, creating carved wooden decoys used by people who spear lake sturgeon, the largest fish to swim in the Great Lakes and its tributary rivers. Telling her story allows the video to tell the larger story of the conservation efforts surrounding this fish, and a way to infer a larger story about the importance of Great Lakes resources.

From the Judges

A well-crafted, almost documentary-style video on a community adventurer with a quirky and colorful life story. The video does a fantastic job of serving as a portrait of a familiar community face, while also adding to the library of stories that support the University of Wisconsin’s Sea Grant College Program. The narrative adds to the overarching commitment of science-based stewardship and serving the community.