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Most area residents understand the importance of maintaining our local environment. With the number of public parks and lakes in the Fairmont area, it is vital that people be responsible with their enjoyment of the outdoors. In that spirit, Girl Scout Hannah Botzet has come up with a way to help keep area lakes clean.
For her Girl Scout Silver Award project, Botzet decided to place fishing line recycling containers around city parks by fishing docks, Sommer Bait shop and some county parks. After seeing the containers at a state park, Botzet knew she wanted to bring the idea home.
"I've made 15 and put eight up so far," she said. "I made them using PVC pipe, elbows and glue."
She said she cut up 10-foot poles and placed a cover on the bottom. People will be able to place old, tangled up fishing line in the container, and she will check them periodically.
Botzet enjoys fishing and as such sees the need to keep tangled line out of the lakes, helping preserve fish and wildlife, as well as keeping boat motors free. Botzet's mother, Judy, said Hannah wants to help people have another option to protect the lakes.
In order to complete her project, Hannah has received help from a variety of people and organizations
"I've had help from [Fairmont] City Engineer Troy Nemmers, the [Fairmont] Lakes Foundation and Sommer Bait Shop," she said.
Her father, Richard, helped with constructing and placing the containers.
In order to seek help and raise awareness, Botzet has made presentations about the project at the Fairmont Lakes Foundation, Fairmont Parks Board meeting, Martin County Conservation Club and the Martin County Fair.
Botzet is also planning to contact the Chamber of Commerce, and has received donations from the Lakes Foundation and Bass Seekers.
"The Lakes Foundation was totally excited about it, helping to preserve and protect our lakes" Judy said. "The Bass Seekers always see fishing line all over the place and so they said there's a definite need for this. Troy Nemmers was pretty instrumental in helping figure out where to place them. She's wrapping up the project now, and then she'll be presented the Silver Award in the spring."