Hero Next Door Contest

Marilyn has been a great environmental leader in Marietta.

Marilyn Ortt is soft-spoken, kind, and patient with people who don't understand how to care for the nature all around us. She started our city's recycling program; she co-founded the Marietta Natural History Society; she has planted an arboretum; she works tirelessly to educate others about nature, and she's incredibly good at enlisting help from others without offending anyone. And she's amazingly knowledgeable. If she doesn't know something about natural history, she'll find someone who does. She is my hero!

Tirelessly working to make sure that future generations have a good, healthy environement in which to live. She's a true steward of our community and the natural resources that surround us. Thanks Mom!

Marilyn has been a leader in the movement to "green" the Mid-Ohio Valley for decades.

My Mom has such a LOVE for our planet Earth and it's beautiful wonders. This PURE ENERGY has guided her staggering selfless volunteering to educate others to respect their planet and understand the importance of environmental conservation. While she knows that education is a key part in her pursuit, she furthers her cause by years of exhaustive volunteer work on trail building, precisely pruning city trees, and working at the recycling center. She tirelessly helps with so many organizations and works to acquire grants to further the conservation of OUR natural resources. Living Green is now the "IN" style. It's exciting that people are now realizing the importance of what my Mom's known all along. Simply.....she ROCKS.....and if each of us had a quarter of her dedication and drive to protect our world, we would accomplish amazing feats and become more sustainable as a whole. We would live a more harmonious existence with our home .....for what's healthy for the earth....is healthy for all of it's inhabitants. Goddess of Green? Only if the Goddess of Green is a SUPER HERO!

Volunteering for an hour, a day, a week is respectable and something the average person aspires to...volunteering for decades definitely qualifies for "Goddess" status!

Marilyn is an inspiration. She was "cool green" long before it was cool! Her tireless efforts have influenced me and a great many others to do our part. Imagine what this world would look like with more people like Marilyn in it!

Marilyn was a trailblazer in environmental efforts and had a profound impact on my lifelong appreciation and awareness of nature and precious natural resources. Thank you Marilyn for sharing your quest and joy in exploring and preserving our planet.

When I first got to Marietta, one of the first people I met with was Marilyn Ortt. As we walked through the trails of the Kroger Wetlands, Marilyn told me stories about the environmental movement's history in this community and she explained how hard she had worked to preserve the natural beauty of spaces like the wetlands. I quickly learned that Marilyn was responsible for many of the community spaces, like the wetlands. Not only is she an advocate for our environment, she is a wonderful person to work with and a great community resource. Congratulations on this honor, Marilyn!

Marilyn works tirelessly to improve the environment as a whole and our community in particular. She has provided leadership to the Friends of Lower Muskingum and taken them in very positive directions.

What a great example of leadership, community spirit and environmental consciousness. We all benefit from people like Marilyn!

I believe Marilyn deserves to win more than the others simply because she is one awesome and caring lady. She seems to have definitely earned her nomination by devoting a large majority of her life to a truly important issue.

Because she should be recognized for all the great environmental work she has done for Southeast Ohio.