You may not have recognized her, but Sara Van Portfliet is no stranger to downtown Lake Orion parades.
For the Halloween parade, she regularly dresses up as the Wicked Witch from the Wizard of Oz.
But this is just a small part she plays in the Lake Orion community.
For her many endeavors in recognizing the history of Orion, Van Portfliet has been named Citizen of the Year by the Orion Area Parade Group and The Review, and will serve as Grand Marshal of the annual Holiday Lighted Parade on Dec. 6.
Van Portfliet was chosen from a long list of worthy nominees featured in last week’s Review for her dedication to numerous projects aimed at preserving historical sites in the Orion area.
‘I’m honored,? she said. ‘There are so many hard-working volunteers in the community. It’s great to be included with them.?
The Orchard Lake native moved to Orion more than 20 years ago with her husband, current Village Councilman Ken Van Portfliet.
They were drawn by the many lakes in the area, as well as the tight-knit community. Currently, they live in the Village of Lake Orion.
‘I like the small-town feel,? she said. ‘The lakes, the trees; all these elements put together and it feels familiar.?
In 1994 she helped found the Orion Historical Society because, she said, a community like this should be aware of its past.
‘There’s a sense of history here,? she said. ‘A past people can connect to. There was a need to recount the stories.?
One of her most impressive accomplishments was getting downtown Lake Orion recognized as a National Historic District in 2006.
She did a lot of the initial research and helped secure the funding necessary to hire the proper experts.
‘You have to make people aware of what they’ve got here,? Van Portfliet said.
Van Portfliet was also integral in working with Guest House to open up the Scripps Estate for the annual Art, Autos and Architecture show.
Another project she was involved in was moving the Porritt Barn from its original location at the corner of Silver Bell Road and M-24 to where it currently stands in Friendship Park.
An ongoing project she continues to keep an eye on is the preservation of the Union Church.
‘If you tear things down, you erase that kind of connection,? she said.