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Now retiring, Merkel leaves legacy with the PCYDC
When she was presented the Civic Service Award by the P.I.E. Coalition in 2015, Linda Merkel was described as a tireless advocate for Putnam County children. Her energy, optimism and attitude were characterized as “contagious.”
After serving 13 years as the executive director of the Putnam County Youth Development Commission (PCYDC), Merkel is retiring this month. However, the very idea of “retirement” is relative to her wide-reaching community involvement. That energy remains vigorous.
“I feel like that I have certainly made a difference, but my work really is not done,” Merkel began an interview with the Banner Graphic last week. “I want to continue to work within our community. I still feel like that I can make a difference and make an impact.”
Prior to coming to the PCYDC, Merkel worked at the Area 30 Career Center for a decade. In addition to being a student recruiter, she organized internships and helped start a student advisory council there. She also was heavily involved in Area 30’s senior awards program.
This experience helped Merkel establish connections with the area high schools, giving her a solid base when she became the PCYDC’s executive director in 2007. Merkel’s goal was to strengthen the agency’s mission of reaching out to youth throughout the county.
Effectively established in 1994 when former Putnam Circuit Court Judge Diana LaViolette formed a volunteer committee, the PCYDC has a multi-member board of directors and coordinates local service-driven initiatives. These include the CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) program, National Night Out, Coats for Kids and Teen Court.
“I believe that our kids deserve a chance,” Merkel said. “(They) deserve a chance to have a quality education, a safe and loving environment and a chance at a productive life.
“I think probably my biggest passion is being able to work with the most at-risk kids, which is what we do,” she added.
A collaboration with Putnam County Juvenile Probation which Merkel got off the ground, Teen Court provides an opportunity for young offenders to be judged by a jury of their peers. It also encourages civic participation and learning about the trial process in general.
“I’ve had the blessed opportunity of meeting a lot of kids, and had the opportunity to work with a lot of different families and have made a lot of great relationships,” Merkel said about her involvement. “I say, ‘I never want to see you again in Teen Court.’ But then they make sure they say ‘Hi’ if they see me, and say, ‘Thanks for what you did,’ which is all I really need.”
The P.I.E. Coalition is another program that Merkel has fostered and helped promote through the schools. The acronym standing for Prevention, Intervention and Education, P.I.E.’s aim is to educate local youth about substance abuse -- and has perhaps seen the most growth.
Merkel related that probably 25 students came to the P.I.E. breakfasts when she first started. Now, about 70 students from the high schools will regularly attend. She believes this demonstrates a commitment to have a positive influence on their peers when it comes to saying “No” to drugs and alcohol.
“I think we’ve got great leaders in our schools,” Merkel said. “I think they are destined to be stars somewhere down the road. I think they truly want to make a difference in their schools, and I’m just honored that I got to be a part of it.”
The impetus behind PCYDC’s initiatives, Merkel knows, is to inspire youth to make the right choices, as well as to let the most vulnerable know that the community will support them. This is why a program like Coats for Kids is so rewarding for her.
“Seeing those faces on those kids when they get a coat, or a hat and gloves,” Merkel said emotionally, “I’m not sure who enjoys it more, the kids or myself. It means so much to me to see our kids be able to go to school and not be embarrassed because they don’t have a coat.”
Merkel pointed to the camaraderie she shares with CASA Director Patti Harmless and CASA Volunteer Coordinator Allison Creekmore-Long as what makes the PCYDC unique. She would put the small office’s dedication up against that of other similar agencies.
“What I think sets us apart is that the three of us have the same passion,” Merkel said. “We love what we’re doing; we’re humble; we don’t give up; we’re determined to make a difference in a child’s life. It would be very difficult to find a team that works as hard as we do.
“And we never complain,” she added. “We know the importance of what we’re doing, and we just continue to push forward. I consider this a true blessing. I have been humbled, and I just feel so much warmth and love when I do this job.”
When Merkel hangs up her hat as the PCYDC’s executive director, board member Bob Tomaw will then step into the role. This makes the transition easier for Merkel, because she believes the agency will be in good hands.
Merkel told the PCYDC’s board of directors in August 2019 that she would be retiring this June. She acknowledged that COVID-19 has “put everything in a tailspin,” but has kept in perspective what the future can bring.
“I felt like, when I told the board, that I’ve done all I can do in terms of getting our agency to this level,” Merkel said. “I want to see us go farther.
“There are so many issues that our kids have today, so many areas that aren’t being met, that I can see us continuing to grow and prosper,” Merkel added. She provided that this change could come in providing new programs and expanding the PCYDC staff.
With these challenges in mind, Merkel said she will miss the friendships she has made, serving on her various committees and connecting with other social services in Putnam County. However, she feels that it is just time to step away from the position.
“I’m still looking forward to retiring; I’m looking forward to a new routine,” Merkel said. “I’m saddened, because I love this agency ... and I’m grateful and humbled by all the support that I’ve had across the community and through our board.”
Merkel wants to stay active with the P.I.E. Coalition and the monthly breakfasts, as well as to continue as co-chair for National Night Out. She has also accepted an invitation to be involved in South Putnam’s burgeoning Dollars for Scholars program.
Merkel is looking forward to spending more time with her husband Bill, as well as their seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild. While she does not know exactly what may lie ahead, Merkel wants, as she put it, to enjoy life.
However, Merkel emphasized that she wants to stay “sincerely” connected to the schools and the PCYDC in any way she can. She does not want to stop making a difference in the lives of youth in Putnam County.
“I feel like that God has blessed me and He has given me a mission and a purpose in life, and so I think my purpose is serving the community,” Merkel said. “That’s why my work’s not done.”