Expecting to deliver a presentation on the Pine River Task Force during the annual Gratiot Area Chamber of Commerce Dinner, professors Murray Borrello and Ed Lorenz were totally surprised when they instead received the Alma Order of the Tartan Award.
The award, equivalent to a citizen of the year award, is presented annually to the Alma citizen or citizens who engage in exemplary service to the community. The Spirit of St. Louis Award, Ithaca Citizen of the Year award and the South Gratiot Person of the Year Award were also presented.
Long-time College supporter Sam Bush, a former Alma College Community Campaign leader, received St. Louis’ top award.
Borrello, geology instructor and environmental studies coordinator, and Lorenz, Reid-Knox Professor of History and professor of political science, had their slides ready and projector running when last year’s winner, Bruce Moeggenberg, told them there would be no slide show presentation.
Pine River Citizens Advisory Group (CAG) President Jane Keon ‘70 developed the presentation ruse in order to get the professors to attend the dinner for the surprise award. Borrello and Lorenz have been among the leaders of cleanup efforts on the Pine River and local environment while turning the watershed into an educational tool for College courses.
They and other professors have interjected citizen input into the Environmental Protection Agency, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and corporate attempts to control environmental cleanup in Gratiot County.
After the 1973 PBB disaster that decimated Michigan’s dairy herd and led to the closing of the Michigan Chemical Company plant in St. Louis, the former plant property on the Pine River became the nation’s fifth-worst EPA Superfund site. Studies by Alma students and professors and the resulting academic papers have led to the formation of one of the strongest and most knowledgeable CAGs in the United States.
–Skip Traynor
