[Letter from the Editor] Lake Anna Marked ‘Safe to Swim’

Did anyone else feel like this summer was just… off? Kind of like COVID all over again?

Between the tragic swimming incidents and the horrific sicknesses that stemmed from toxins, Lake Anna got all the publicity it needed to get on the map since Memorial Day weekend.

But there’s just no denying it – the media absolutely sensationalized Lake Anna this summer.

Please don’t misunderstand – as a mother I can’t imagine admitting my children to the hospital for a life-threatening infection that they got on vacation. I am not undermining the unfathomable horror of the STEC.

But despite the water being tested clean within days of E. Coli reports, and no factual determination of the cause, the media still demonized our lake. The result? A community speculated 40% tourist loss for the local economy.

Families became too nervous to vacation here. Rental home and boat reservations were canceled, the campgrounds stayed quiet, and our largest restaurants were slower than usual. Of course some blamed it on the construction, and others were relieved not to have the seasonal crowds.

With 300,000 searches per month, “lake anna virginia e coli ” was the top Google’d phrase in Google to include “lake anna”. Social media made a tremendous impact as well. The most common phrase shared on Facebook was “stay away from Lake Anna it’s not safe.”

I am not trying to convince you of what is right or wrong here… Simply put, words have an impact that trickles down to entire local economies, small businesses, their employees and their families. I’ve said it before: the media holds power.

But at least the traffic circle is coming along nicely.

Jen Bailey

Hi! I’m Jennifer Bailey and I partner with entrepreneurs who have massive ideas that could change the world. Most marketing is meaningless. Filled with empty promises, its only job is to bring in new traffic, new leads, and new customers. But I’ve drawn a line in the sand, and I’ve learned that marketing can do so much more than reach business goals and build profit. My methods give businesses the fire and soul they need to reach the right people, set the groundwork for sustainable relationships, and offer true value to the people on both the giving and receiving ends of marketing.