Lindley wins Chamber's top award.

SANDY LINDLEY, who was named “citizen of the year” last year by the Leelanau Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, is shown with her husband Roger at last week’s annual Chamber meeting and dinner. The Lindleys are holding a plaque from the Chamber, a proclamation from the state Legislature that honors her, a photo that recognized her as “prisoner of the year’ for her outfit worn at the Fourth of July parade in Leland, and a picture of her on a Segway.

As insurance agent and Leelanau Peninsula Chamber of Commerce president Sandy Lindley looked at slowing down in her professional and civic life, she was asked by some county politicos if she would consider running for public office.

As is her protocol, Lindley asked her husband, Roger, for advice.

"He said if you do that, you keep right on running," said Lindley, who was speaking at the annual Chamber meeting held last week at the Timberlee Resort banquet facility in Elmwood Township.

Lindley, who is comfortable in her normal role of praising others while making them laugh with her trademark self-deprecating humor, found herself in a different position at the banquet.

She was giving an acceptance speech after being named the Chamber's "Citizen of the Year."

Lindley accepted the award with humility.

"I certainly was humbled by the experience. We live in a county where so many people do so much for others," she said this week.

Lindley served 12 years on the Chamber board of directors, the last two years as Chamber president. In that role, she sought to unite Leelanau's communities, especially its small chambers of commerce.

To that end, Lindley helped organize a "Summit on Tourism" in February that may have long-term ramifications on how Leelanau attracts visitors.

"It was a good way for people to open up communications between communities," Lindley said. "I would have liked to have all the little chambers sit down and come up with a dues structure that would help all the businesses in Leelanau County. I hope that is still on the agenda."

Lindley has a strong love of Leelanau County, which she adopted early in her married life. "I was a city girl," she teased Chamber members at the dinner. "Roger brought me out here from Traverse City."

That was some 40 years ago. The Lindleys have led busy, community-centered lives while each completed successful careers. Both are involved in church groups associated with St. Michael's Parish in Suttons Bay. For years, Sandy was a leader in the Shady Lane Extension Girls organization.

Roger Lindley recently retired as a 27-year diesel mechanic with Twin Bay Trucks. "I was always proud of his dirty fingers. He did a fine job," said Lindley.

Meanwhile, Sandy has spent 31 years in the insurance industry, the last 27 years with Larkin Insurance now located in Lake Leelanau. Some 13 years ago, she started working at the Larkin's former location in Leland.

She was recruited shortly thereafter by Terry Ely to run for the Chamber board of directors. She was assured that her election was inevitable.

But a third person showed a desire to run at the last minute, and Lindley finished last in the voting.

That might be enough to give many business people a sour taste toward the Chamber. Lindley laughs about it now, as well as her decision to run the next year.

"I'll never forget that. What? How can you not get elected for a volunteer position? I always told (Ely) I needed therapy for a year, and then I was strong enough to try again."

The Chamber award offered members an opportunity to honor Lindley for her service — and to get in a few laughs with her. Leelanau County Sheriff Mike Oltersdorf led the lineup of gag gifts with a plaque for being "Prisoner of the Year" in honor of Lindley's inmate uniform worn at the Leland Fourth of July parade.

Lindley's role as president will officially end next Wednesday, Nov. 7, when the board will vote on a replacement.

Taking the place of professional and Chamber activities will be Lindley's family. She hopes to be the same type of grandmother as Roger's stepmother was to Sandy and Roger's children.

"She was a wonderful grandmother, always there and always with treats," said Sandy.

Margaret Lindley passed away last week. She was 88.

Roger and Sandy Lindley have three grown children: Todd (Suzy), an electrical engineer in Williamsburg, Va.; Tory (Beth), who resides in Skokie, Ill., and is head of the athletic medical department at Northwestern University; and Tina (Corey) Vander Wulp, a teacher in Lake Ann.

Altogether, the Lindleys have six grandchildren to spoil and a fifth wheel pulled by a pick-up (diesel, naturally) to see them with.

"We're going to travel," said Lindley.

Odds are, however, that the location of their home won't change.

"My heart and soul is in Leelanau County," Lindley said.