A Large Team, but More Players Needed Fran Rotunno Fish
The Skaneateles Lake Association is comprised of a large team of players. Our 21 SLA Board Members are currently joined by 900 members (those who have joined the SLA within the past 12 months). That current membership list (as of 7/21/18) is on our website at SkaneatelesLake.org.
The strength of the SLA Team is enhanced by a number of factors. The first factor is that 195 of the 900 current members donated funds in excess of the annual membership. The names of those members are published in the Skaneateles Press at the end of a “News from the SLA” column (including this one.)
The strength of the SLA Team is also enhanced by the work of many beyond their membership or official capacity.
This additional strength comes from the members of our Nutrient Management Committee who have spent countless hours delineating the elements and specifics of the 9 Element Plan that will be submitted to NYS and is a requirement for consideration of award(s) from Gov. Cuomo’s funding designated to fight harmful algal blooms. The members of that Committee include: Bob Werner, Bill Dean, Mark Burger, Aimee Clinkhammer, Mary Sennett, Neil Murphy, Richard Wiles, Zack Odell and Brian Madigan.
We are also strengthened by the Shoreline Survey Volunteers for the DEC Harmful Algal Bloom
Surveillance Program including Annette Becker, Deb Hole, John McAllister, Nigel Moll, Susan Wulff, Catherine King, Julie Bourke, Lindsay Groves, Anthony Rusniak, Alfred Coons, Robert Warfield, George Thomas, Patty Orr, Paul and Mary Torrisi, Holden Fenner, Terri Dewitt, Barb Poole, Carolyn Widas, Carrie Scholz, Lori Klock, Claire Howard, Diane Chu, Kathy Gorr, Julie Scuderi, Mary and Scott Case, Joan Callaway, and John and Mayr Menapace. These volunteers will be observing their assigned area of the lake shoreline for any appearances of a HAB and following through with the defined protocol for picture submission and sampling in order to ensure we have early recognition and can specify location should a HAB develop.
The SLA Team is strengthened by Rachael DeWitt who has maintained and enhanced our presence on social media. Her efforts have drawn in thousands to twitter, Facebook and Instagram as followers. These efforts strengthen us with a volume of response and recognition that is the only possible through these platforms. As of August 1, Rachael is joining the SLA as its Executive Director. Rachael is a B. S. graduate of the University of Vermont, Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources. She has been involved with the SLA from her early high school years and was our first Invasive Species Monitoring Steward. The SLA Board is thrilled to have her join us and the entire Skaneateles Lake watershed community in our efforts to protect the treasure that is Skaneateles Lake.
The strength of the SLA Team is enhanced by all those whose efforts made the 2018 Annual Meeting a success including Salli Tuozzolo, Dessa Bergen, Kim Driscoll, Mary Torrisi, Mary Ellen Hennigan, Patty Weisse, Ann Fairbanks, Terry DeWitt, Janet Stinson, Kathryn Coughlin, Claire Howard, Mary Marshall, Jen Warning, Betsy Madden, Bob Madden, Carolyn Cramer, Stan Cramer, Bev White, Steve White, Martha Kendrick, Janet Stinson, Bill Stinson, Dan Fisher, Charlie Driscoll, Brian Harkins, Don Plath, Steve Mott, Joe Paduda, Dave Ketchum, Charlie McElroy, Ron Dippold, Ham Fish, Mike Kelly, Carol-Stokes Cawley, Ham Fish, Patty Orr, Ron & Janet Dippold, Dave Ketchum, Tom Adessa, John Menapace, Mary Torrisi, Claire Howard, Chris Legg, Kathryn Coughlin, Lois Exner, Bill Warning, Rob Howard, Chris Legg, Ella Bobbett, Kathryn Morrissey, Collin Morrisey and Nora Curtis. Special members of the SLA Meeting Team included Mike Preston Director of Lourdes Camp; Tom the Lourdes Camp cook who grilled on an incredibly hot day, Ken Harms who provided our music and the Skaneateles American Legion who prepared the salt potatoes. The Annual Meeting Committee: Paul Torrisi, Deb Tifft, Debbie Bobbett, Mary Sennett, Gretchen Roberts, Buzz Roberts and I would never have been able to do it without the strength of these great team members.
Our strength is enhanced by the Skaneateles Marina which provides us with dockage for the Milfoil Boats. This is a great time saver for the Milfoil Team and also serves to provide the boats with safe “housing.”
Our strength is enhanced by community members who have stepped up and offered to help with membership efforts including Annette Becker, Fran McCormack and Barb Poole. It is also enhanced by Dave and Lois Laxton’s Lakeside Food and Flowers Program that provides a donation to the SLA for each membership in the Program.
So, you might ask with this large team why do we need more players and what players do we need. The why is fairly simple. The work of protecting Skaneateles Lake from future threats is and is going to be a growing and never-ending job. With what we understand the threats to be today, we have a big job. But, given the questions about future threats and the causes and preventive actions needed to mitigate those threats the job will only become bigger and more expensive and we need MORE PLAYERS, that is more clearly defined as, MORE SLA MEMBERS on the team. Right now, far too many are missing from the team line up. There are 693 properties in the Skaneateles Lake community with lake frontage or lake rights whose owners are not current members of the SLA and many of those 693 have never been members in the history of the SLA or its predecessor organizations.
You can join the SLA team online at SkaneatelesLake.org or by calling 315-685-9106 and requesting a member registration form and return envelope.
The following individuals’ memberships and additional generous donations are sponsoring the milfoil boats for a day or multiple days: Elizabeth & John McKinnell, Carrie Lazarus & Dave Birchenough, Suzanne & Sidney Devorsetz, Katherine & Joseph Compagni, James & Salli Tuozzolo, William & Barbara Dean, Lorraine Rapp & Jeffrey Kirshner, Maggie & Ed Dienst, Julie & Jim Moore, Janet & Donald Frank, Christine Larsen & Vincent Dopulos, Kimball & James Kraus, Mary & Joseph Gaffney, Mid-Lakes Navigation, Jackie & Steve Miron, VanOrder Family Partnership, Chancea & Donald Sundman, Deborah & Gary Hind and Joan Christy & Tom Bersani.
The following individuals’ memberships and additional generous donations are co-sponsoring the milfoil boats: Katherine Cogswell & Walter Benson, Gerard & Virginia Shanley, Pamela & Michael Odlum, Michelle & John Mashia, Jean & John Vincent, Barbara Benedict & Duncan Wormer, Nancy Thomas & Chris Legg, Linda & Randel Brink, Jill & Todd Marshall, Suzanne & Bill Burch, Rose Ann & Ron Gay, Dena Weber, Francine Devitt, Katherine & Joseph Compagni, Carlyn Helmer (in memory of Jack Helmer), Margaret Tourville, Linda Lavery, Kathryn & Robert Fagliarone, Deborah & Richard Hole, Joanne Dusel & Scott Sayles, Karen & Chris Kriedler, Judy Robertson, Kati & Larry Weiss, Helen & Keith Simonelli, Elet & John Callahan, Maureen & Don Plath, Robert Congel, Jaime Tuozzolo, Deborah & James Tifft and Sara Collins & Robert Parsons, Karen Yuhas & Jack Riley, Kathryn Pasqua & James Helmer, Barbara & Jed Delmonico, Christine & Robert Pierce, Jacqueline & Charles Giancola, Susan & James Solomon, Ellie & Chet Benoit, Lynn & ,David Curtin, Tracy & David Romano, Beth & David Conley, Elizabeth & John McKinnell, Kristopher Scholl and Jacqueline Bays & Joseph McCaffrey.
The following individuals’ memberships and additional generous donations are sponsoring our Stewards for a day: Dessa & William Bergen, Shadow Lawn Lakeshore Association, Joan & Gene Tarolli, Barbara & Robert Amsler, Deborah & James Tifft, Carol Lynn Krumhansl & Jeff Roberts, Lorraine Gudas, Sharon & John Paddock, Kuni & Patrick Riccardi, Judd Seales, Gary Dower, Patty & Jim Hertz, Sue & Joe Spalding, Kristopher Scholl, Jacqueline Bays & Joseph McCaffrey.
The following individuals’ memberships and additional generous donations are supporting the David Lee Hardy Fund which helps to support our Steward program: Virginia & Gerard Shanley, Sandra Attleson, Anne Buehler, Janice Hardy, Mary Beth & Jeff Carlberg, Frances & John McNerny, Linda Lavery, Sharon & John Paddock, Shadow Lawn Lakeshore Association, Gazella Training Instructors & Students, Gary Dower and Virginia Calvert & Robert Dean.
Watch for our column next week when we will be telling you more about the Vertical Profiler, Atlantis II, deployed and anchored in the North end of the lake. You will not want to miss the story.