BOC recognizes Emergency Management Director as ‘Community Champion’

BELLAIRE — During an otherwise routine evening of the Antrim County Board of Commissioners last week, Emergency Management Director Leslie Meyers was recognized for her leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Meyers fought back tears as CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) volunteers Shannon Buntjer and Sherry Bailey presented her with the award proclaiming her a "Community Champion." 

Said Buntjer to Meyers, "You go above and beyond. You always put yourself last. Without you as our leader, our team would not be what it was."

The presentation of the award, which was a surprise to Meyers, came after the Emergency Management Director had requested that the Commissioners approve a resolution recognizing the efforts of the 46 members of the CERT team, which during the pandemic helped to gather materials used for personal protection equipment such as more than 10,000 masks made by volunteer seamstresses which were given to anyone free of charge, man the county's Emergency Operations Center, and, in cooperation with the Health Dept. of Northwest Michigan, organize and conduct 42 COVID-19 vaccination clinics.

During those vaccination clinics, 8,000 shots were given, which took a total of 4,000 hours. Between the clinics and other venues, more than 60 percent of Antrim County's population is now fully vaccinated. 

The resolution was approved unanimously.

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