Madison Lindsay
Day Camp Coordinator
Preferred Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

Hometown
Maumee, OH

First Job
My first job was at age 16 as a hostess at Mancy’s Bluewater Grille. Perfect for a seafood lover!

Achievement you are most proud of, career or other
I am most proud of finding a career I am passionate about where I can help children, and adults, of many abilities and backgrounds, connect to nature, and foster a passion for the environment.

Dream Trip
That is a hard one because I want to do so much! Nationally, I want to visit all the national parks. But, the next stop on my list is to go rock climbing in Glacier National Park. Internationally, my first choice would be New Zealand! 

Notable pet
I have two kitty cat daughters. A short-haired blue-gray named Bernie (age 5), and a long-haired black and white named Sly Cooper (age 1).

What is something few know about you?
I love hula hooping and have a fire hoop to dance with fire. I also have always loved writing since I was a child and wrote a children’s book a few years ago for my parents that I hope to one day publish.

What brought you to Metroparks?
After studying Outdoor Recreation and Education at Ohio University (go Bobcats!) and earning a Bachelor of Science in Recreation Studies, I hoped to move to the mountains. After graduation, my Mom was diagnosed with cancer. All I wanted was to be with her and the rest of my large, close-knit family. Because of my background and passion for working with individuals with disabilities in an outdoor setting, I found a seasonal position at Metroparks as a Camp Inclusion Programmer. A few months into my first seasonal position here, I knew I had found my work family and a career I was passionate about while also staying close to my home family. I grew up in the area playing in the parks and still had no idea what an impressive system we had until I worked here. Four years later, my Mom is cancer-free, I have six nieces and nephews, and there is nowhere I would rather be and no work I would rather be doing than being the Day Camp Coordinator at Metroparks Toledo.

Your favorite park visited?
I love all of them! But, I would have to say Oak Openings Preserve Metroparks since I have been visiting it since I was a child. I only found out how special and globally rare it was when I started working at the parks!