Meet Margie Meyling, "the Lady Behind the Signs" or, as she's better known, the "Wizard of Pace's Point". Margie and her husband, Don, started with a cabin on Lake Martin in 1979, then a house, and they're now in their third lake home located on Impy Road. Weekends were all they could squeeze in until 1985 when Don had surgery. They came here from Montgomery for him to recuperate, decided it was a pretty great place, and decided to stay.
When asked about the signs, Margie says "We originally had one sign and it was used to notify members about meetings. It was a portable sign, and we'd carry it up to the Civitan entrance once a month. A big storm caused some damage to the sign and we needed a bigger one so I could write a longer message. So, we got a second, bigger sign! I think up some of the material, or I'm inspired by magazines or catalogs we have at the station". Margie says the sign which garnered the most comments was "Welcome Nudists. Watch out for the sun and chiggers".
Margie became involoved with the fire department when a neighbor, Peggy Peterson, took her and Don to a meeting one night. She was appointed to collect money for something she can't remember and then became involved in other fund raising activities. She says, "One of our neighbors reaches for his wallet whenever he sees me coming!" She now wears lots of hats. She collects aluminum cans from the store at Holiday Shores and from Poplar Dawgs. She makes arrangements for dinners, sews patches and pockets on gear, and drives the Rescue vehicle (as well as all other Engines). She's sort of a "jack of all trades and a master of none".
She's modest about her involvement, however, as she's also a member of the Board of Directors and she mans the recuperation site at all fires.
While Margie is lots of fun, she added a serious note, "In 1962, my Dad started a Volunteer Fire Department in Oklahoma. He helped finance one of the engines and the building. Dad was another Will Rogers! He did not live long enough to see many of the department's accomplishments. He did not fulfill his dream, so I guess I'm trying to do my part to do it for him."
Margie is truly a Volunteer Firefighter and we love her.