Coming home to her own paradise

ST. MARYS - For Donna Grube, taking a job at the Auglaize & Mercer Counties Convention & Visitors Bureau was like coming home.

"Once I got this job here, we thought we have to live on the lake," said Grube, 52. "It's frustrating that some of the people who live here don't appreciate and realize what we have. Of course, we didn't know about it until we came here. It's understandable, but people should make the most of what they have."

Grube has spent five years as director of the visitors bureau, located on the shores of Grand Lake St. Marys. Her job is to promote attractions in Auglaize and Mercer counties. She also serves as a guide to bus tours and helps visitors to the bureau, which is near the state park's main office.

"In July, we had between 500 and 600 people stop by," Grube said. "Such wonderful people come in, and they're in a good mood because they're on vacation or took a day off and are out going on a drive. I love the job. You get to brag about the area and tell folks all about it."

Grube and her husband, Mark, moved two years ago to Villa Nova, at the lakeshore on the northeast corner of the lake and near several day-use facilities. The lake is a state park. The waterway, a terrier and a grandson, Dustin, have become the center of their world.

"My grandson is 8," Grube said. "We do lot of things in the park. We go to the beach and make sand things. We walk the dog. We ride bikes. We have radio-control boats, and we race those. We wade.

"I took him fishing once, but I lost two hooks and two lures so he doesn't think his grandma is a good fisherman."

Mark Grube often joins in the adventures, as does their Cairn terrier, Skippy, whom the Grubes adopted from an animal rescue agency.

"It's nice the taxpayers of Ohio provide this (the park) for me and my grandson," Grube said. "It's a fun place to live. You see people fishing and picnicking. It's uplifting to see people enjoying themselves. It ties into this job. It's nice to have that kind of thing."

Grube is a member of the Lake Improvement Association, St. Marys Community Improvement Corp., Holy Rosary Catholic Church and St. Marys Sister Cities. She also serves on the boards of Gateway Outreach Center, in Celina, and the Ohio Travel Association.

Grube previously worked as a reporter and news director at radio stations in Celina and Van Wert. For fun, she likes to garden and decorate her home.

The Grubes have been married for 33 years. They have a son, Matthew, 30, and a daughter, Kristi, 27. Dustin is Matthew's son.