June 9, 2005: Headlines: COS - Jamaica: Water: Springfield News Leader: Jamaica RPCV Holly Neill driven to improve water quality

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Jamaica: Peace Corps Jamaica : The Peace Corps in Jamaica: June 9, 2005: Headlines: COS - Jamaica: Water: Springfield News Leader: Jamaica RPCV Holly Neill driven to improve water quality

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Jamaica RPCV Holly Neill driven to improve water quality

Jamaica RPCV Holly Neill driven to improve water quality

Neill is executive director of the James River Basin Partnership. As director of the nonprofit, she "wears many hats," including conducting grant-funded environmental studies, overseeing community and volunteer events, administering educational outreach projects and implementing programs that further the organization's mission to protect and improve water quality in the Ozarks.

Jamaica RPCV Holly Neill driven to improve water quality

Woman driven to improve water quality

Pumping septic tanks, pulling tires out of the river are just part of the job for Holly Neill.

Caption: Educating the public on the water quality is a top priority, says Holly Neill, executive director of the James River Basin Partnership. Photo: DEAN CURTIS / NEWS-LEADER


Kim W. Schumer
FOR THE NEWS-LEADER

Holly Neill's vision of a perfect world is crystal clear, and the more septic tanks she has to pump out to make that vision a reality, the happier she'll be.

Neill is executive director of the James River Basin Partnership. As director of the nonprofit, she "wears many hats," including conducting grant-funded environmental studies, overseeing community and volunteer events, administering educational outreach projects and implementing programs that further the organization's mission to protect and improve water quality in the Ozarks.

One of those programs offers financial incentives to septic-tank owners to get their tanks pumped out. More than 70 percent of Missouri's septic tanks do not function properly, threatening the state's waterways with 100 million gallons of poorly treated sewage every day. And yet, according to Neill, the "majority of the people getting their septic tanks pumped (through the program) didn't know they were supposed to have them pumped out."

Educating the public on the importance of preserving and improving the area's water quality is one of Neill's priorities. "You can never educate anybody too much," she said.

It was that dedication to educational outreach initiatives coupled with Neill's strong scientific background -- she has a bachelor's degree in biology and a master's degree in natural and applied science from Southwest Missouri State University; spent time in Jamaica with the Peace Corps working at the Discovery Bay Marine Lab; and was part of a National Science Foundation Fellowship at SMS -- which landed her the director's job in December 2003.

Martin Mac Donald is JRBP's chairman. He acknowledged Neill's education and experience, and her dedication to the partnership's mission. "You could tell she had a definite passion -- it came from her heart," he said. "She just won us over with her smile and enthusiasm."

Dan Hoy is a JRBP board member. He has worked with Neill since "the day she came on board," he said. He said the partnership has grown a lot since Neill took the helm. "That personality came in at exactly the right time," he said.

That passionate personality was nurtured during a childhood spent on or near the water. "I grew up 30 minutes from Norfork Lake in Arkansas. Every weekend, sometimes during the week, I was at the river or lake," said Neill, a long-distance swimmer who now lives on the banks of the James River. "Everything in my life revolves around water."

That's what makes being the partnership's executive director so rewarding, Neill said.

"This is my dream job," she said. "It's not work to me. I'm not living for the weekend; I'm living for the week to see what I can get done."

Mac Donald said he and the other board members knew Neill would be a "hard charger."

"We have a phrase we use: Git 'er done," Mac Donald said. "When I talk about Holly, it is that git-'er-done personality I think of. Whatever day it is, she is working on water quality. We can see progress, and that is motivating to the board."

Hoy agrees with Mac Donald's assessment. "Holly is very, very dedicated," he said. "She always has a positive attitude and believes anything can be done, with the right people."

Neill hopes more than 100 of the "right people" participate in River Rescue 2005, held today through Saturday at Ozark Mill in Ozark. The event includes a garage sale, a river cleanup and a benefit concert.

The garage sale is sponsored by Bass Pro Shops, which supplies all the merchandise.

JRBP board members MacDonald and Hoy are employed by Bass Pro.

"You know how every family does a garage sale?" Mac Donald said. "Well, we do a corporate garage sale. We gather stuff that has accumulated over a year's time and create a grand garage sale as part of River Rescue."

Mac Donald said everything from light fixtures and display cases to marine and boating supplies will be offered. "It could be about anything."

The sale is open to members of the partnership today; anyone can shop Friday and Saturday.

"Last year we pulled out 250 tires along four miles of the James," Neill said of the cleanup. "We had to leave a lot behind because we ran out of space."

Sixty-five volunteers in 35 canoes hauled out about a ton of trash at the 2004 event; Neill hopes those numbers are doubled this year.

A benefit concert will be played riverside following the cleanup. Neill said Mark Bilyeu, Lyle Strickland and Uncle Fudd will play "river music" beginning at 6 p.m. "When that starts," she said, "I'm going to do nothing but sit there."

But as soon as she said that, she laughed. Kicking back, even after a day spent slogging tires and trash out of the river, isn't easy for a high-energy crusader like Neill. "I'll probably be up, talking to people," she said.

"To hear people talk about how they can develop the Ozarks and preserve water quality is priceless," she said. "We have a long way to go but we are making progress."

She recalled a breakthrough moment during a recent classroom presentation. "I had a child raise her hand then recite the septic tank ad to me. And I knew -- we got 'em."

Direct questions or comments for freelance writer Kim W. Schumer to mrose@News-Leader.com.






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Story Source: Springfield News Leader

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Jamaica; Water; Environment

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