Life on Lake Erie' photo contest winners

Oak Harbor resident Stephanie Lehr received the overall favorite award in this year’s “Life On Lake Erie” Photo Contest for her image, “And the Beak Goes On,” which depicted two cute baby geese.  Lehr was recognized for her winning photo along with 10 other “favorites” by members of the Ohio Lake Erie Commission at their Sept. 22 meeting in Euclid.

The Ohio Lake Erie Commission sponsors the contest annually and encourages camera aficionados to submit images depicting what “Life on Lake Erie” means to them as they enjoy Ohio’s Great Lake year round. The photo contest, which drew more than 250 entries this year, is designed to capture the day-to-day lives of the people, plants and animals living and thriving in the Lake Erie watershed.

Winning photos are featured in the Commission’s Lake Erie Photo Gallery that tours Ohio’s north coast and will be exhibited at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Columbus headquarters in October, as well as other destinations along the shoreline in the coming months.

Other winning “favorites” included (click here to see their photos):
• Merle Weiss of Toledo for his picture, “Maumee Bay September Morn,” of a relaxing sunset on the Bay.
• Richard Hutman of Elyria for his picture, “Lakeview Park in Lorain,” of the grand entrance to East Beach.
• Jarrod Will of Westerville for his picture, “Roaring Waters of the Lake,” of waves roaring onto the Lake Erie shore.
• Mike Rosa of Lorain for his picture, “Lorain Municipal Pier,” of the Lorain Lighthouse taken at dusk.
• Linda Schneider of North Ridgeville for her picture, “Cedar Point in the Off Season,” of Cedar Point in the background along with a Lake Erie ice jam.
• Brian Sims of Port Clinton for his picture, “Make Waves,” of a colorful mallard duck in the water.
• Tom Greene of Dayton for his picture, “Harbor Lights,” of reflected lights on sailboats taken at night.
• Debra Atkins of Findlay for her picture, “Wintertime at Marblehead,” of the majestic Marblehead Lighthouse in the winter.
• Julie Oglesbee of Marblehead for her picture, “Stunning,” of a white gull, close up, resting.

The Ohio Lake Erie Commission was established for the purpose of preserving Lake Erie’s natural resources, protecting the quality of its waters and ecosystem, and promoting economic development in the region. The director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources serves as the commission’s chairman. Additional members include the directors of the state departments of Transportation, Health, Development, Agriculture and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.

The Commission also oversees the Ohio Lake Erie Protection Fund, which is the source of grant money for projects that benefit the lake’s watershed economically and environmentally. The fund is supported by Ohioans who purchase a Lake Erie license plate displaying the Marblehead Lighthouse or Toledo Harbor Lighthouse designed by Ohio artist Ben Richmond.