Devin Golden

DAPHNE, Ala.—In the Lake Forest Yacht Club’s dining area are 17 brown wooden tables. Some are joined together; others sit alone.

These tables haven’t always been there. In fact, they are relatively new.

As Marie Bidney looks at the new tables, she glows in remembrance of the hard work put forth to make it possible.

“It just gives me an overall satisfaction to accomplish something,” she said. “I raised funds for new chairs in the yacht club because it gives me a sense of completeness.”

Bidney is a volunteer within the Baldwin County area. She is editor of The Lake Forester (a Gulf Coast Newspapers publication), and she is on the Alabama Lighthouse Association’s and Fairhope Sailing Foundation’s board of directors.

She also has served three years on the Lake Forest Property Owners Association board of directors.

As a board member, she is the chair of the yacht club, which fits into one of her favorite hobbies well.

“Each one of the board members is chair of something, and my area is the yacht club. I have experience with boating, so this is a good area for me,” Bidney said.

She raised enough funds to purchase new chairs for the club.

She only has one year left as club chair, but she hopes to be able to help the next person in charge, considering she has had a passion for boating for many years.

She and John — her husband of 42 years — have lived in Lake Forest for two decades.

They came to the area because of the marina and water.

Her husband was a sailor, and she got the passion for boating from him.

They have been involved in boating since their time living in Illinois, and Marie is very active in sailboat races throughout Fairhope and Daphne.

She has one son, who also lives in Lake Forest; one daughter, who lives in Illinois; and one grandchild.

Tomasina Werner, a friend, described Marie as “an outstanding person.”

Others can find that out for themselves, as Bidney’s volunteering efforts likely will increase.

“I just recently retired in December, so now I have more time to help out as a volunteer,” she said enthusiastically.