LAKE PARKER ASSOCIATION, INC.
PO Box 69, West Glover, VT 05875
February 1998 Newsletter
Bob Johnson – President
Greetings from
Lake Parker!
Happy New Year!!!! This winter has been very mild here on Lake Parker. Snowmobiling is pretty good but we are always hoping for more snow to improve conditions. February snow has been sparse. Those of us who live here year-round love winters but are anxiously awaiting spring. The big ice storm did not affect us here in Glover but did do a lot of damage in other parts of Vermont and Quebec. I intended to get this newsletter out before Christmas, then the goal became January and now here it’s the end of February. At any rate here it is and I hope it brings you up to date on some of the things the LPA did in 1997 and gives you a glance at some of what is planned for 1998.
Looking back
at 1997
1997 was a pretty good year for the LPA! We had a great annual meeting and potluck supper: the food was plentiful and over fifty-five people enjoyed a wide variety of excellent dishes. The business meeting was fun and some good things were accomplished, such as the contribution to the Glover ambulance squad.
We closed the year with 87 dues-paying families/members.
A group of volunteers headed by Madeleine Ducham made good progress on the watershed survey and would have accomplished more if the flood hadn't rearranged the roads and culverts around the lake, which forced us to postpone part of the work until this summer.
Another group of volunteers, headed by Beryl Adams and John Washburn, wrote grant applications to apply for funds made available from the sale of conservation license plates for local or regional watershed projects and other conservation projects. The purpose of one application was to help defer the cost of our watershed survey. Another application was submitted on behalf of the Town of Glover, requesting funds to repair roads and ditches around Lake Parker. Our volunteers did an excellent job, but the competition was formidable: only $23,000 was available statewide, while more than $280,000 was applied for. LPA was awarded $600.00 toward the watershed survey, but the road repair application was not funded.
One day during the summer, Association volunteers, headed by Glenn Barber and Frank Davio, got together and built a new picnic table to replace the old rotted one at the boat access. Jeff Millette, Sharon Smith, and the Velanders constructed and planted a flowerbed to further spruce up the boat access.
We received $1135.00 from the state for our weed harvesting efforts in 1997, another task accomplished by LPA volunteers.
What made 1997 most enjoyable for me personally was getting to know more of my neighbors and seeing the way in which both new members and long-time members came forward to volunteer time and energy for Association activities. State personnel and members of other lake associations describe the LPA as a model lake association. The efforts of our members and volunteers make it so and to you we owe our thanks. It is an honor to represent the Association as its president.
Upcoming
Events for 1998 – Mark your Calendar!
The following is a list of some of the LPA activities planned for 1998. More information on each of the activities is included later in this newsletter.
Ice Out contest – guess when the ice will go out of Lake Parker and win – use the enclosed entry form!
Watershed survey completion.
Annual Meeting and Potluck Supper – Saturday July 11th 5:30 PM West Glover Church.
LakeFest ’98 July 18th through the 26th.
Glover Day – July 25th.
Boating Safety Instructor Course given at Lake Parker.
Annual Meeting
and Potluck Supper – Mark your Calendar!
Saturday, July 11, 1998 is the date for our annual business meeting and potluck supper! The potluck supper is from 5:30PM to 7:00PM with business meeting following. At the suggestion of our membership, we are starting a little earlier than we have in the past to allow for more time to chat with our neighbors during the potluck supper. Please mark your calendar and plan on attending.
Vermont
LakeFest ‘98!
Clean, clear water in Vermont lakes and ponds is essential to our enjoyment of the out-of-doors, to our economic well being and to wildlife habitat. To increase awareness of the importance of our water resources and the work of those who protect them, the State of Vermont will hold the first annual Vermont LakeFest this coming summer. LakeFest ’98 will be held during the week of July 18th through July 26th. This is a statewide event with the following goals:
1) To raise the level of awareness of the lake community (both lake and town residents) about lake issues and to promote increased involvement.
2) To build rapport between lake residents, lake users and town residents.
3) To have community fun.
4) To build a foundation on which to begin working on larger issues.
Among other activities the state will hold workshops during LakeFest ‘98 on:
1) Watershed Assessment and Management.
2) Nuisance Exotic Species(such as Milfoil) – Early Detection.
3) Working with Town Government.
4) Project WET(Water Education for Teachers).
It would be great if a carload of volunteers from Lake Parker could attend the Nuisance Exotic Species workshop because early detection seems to be the key to preventing milfoil from completely ruining the recreational quality of lakes. If you are interested in attending this workshop let us know and we will keep you informed.
John Washburn is heading a committee for the LPA to plan and organize local LakeFest ’98 activities that hopefully will include participants from Lake Parker, Shadow Lake, Daniels Pond and the Town of Glover. If you have an idea for a LakeFest activity or just want to help out, contact John at camp #97 after Memorial Day.
Watershed Survey Update
As many of you know, Lake Parker is classified as a “threatened” lake by The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation. The primary reason for this is a high level of nutrient enrichment in the lake. Under the leadership of Madeleine Ducham, camp #66, the Association is conducting a Watershed Survey as a first step toward finding the sources of this nutrient enrichment and ultimately better protecting the lake. The Watershed Survey consists of three parts: the in-lake portion, the shoreland portion(within 500 feet of the shoreline), and the entire watershed(about 5400 acres surrounding Lake Parker). The shoreland portion of the survey was completed during the summer of 1996 and most of the in-lake survey was completed last summer. We decided to postpone the remaining aspects of the survey until this summer because of last summer’s flood damage to the roads and culverts in our watershed. Our goal is to complete the watershed survey this summer and we will again be asking for volunteers to assist in this process. We plan to have another one of Madeleine’s special “Coffee Hour” meetings early in the summer to coordinate with volunteers and plan the survey work. This meeting is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, May 30th, at 10:00AM, at the Johnson camp(#25). If you wish to volunteer and be notified about watershed survey meetings please contact Madeleine or Bob Johnson.
The Glover Selectmen remind us that water and electrical lines are not to be run through culverts as this causes problems when cleaning or replacing the culverts. Campers can, however, put lines through a culvert during the summer months as long as all lines are removed in the fall.
LakeFest ’98
Promotional TV Commercial done by LPA Member!
Several of us attend the Lake Protection Advisory Committee meetings that are headed by Susan Warren of the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation - Water Quality Division. This is the organization that is planning LakeFest ’98. As a possible means of getting the word out about LakeFest, the committee wanted to investigate what is involved in making a public service announcement (PSA) that could be aired on television. Not knowing how to approach the problem we consulted with fellow LPA member Randy Williams (camp 88) who is also Coordinator of NEK-TV in Newport. Randy said that he would be glad to attend the meetings and clue us in on what it takes to make a PSA. But he went several steps further than that. He actually made a sample PSA and demonstrated it to the committee! Most of the filming was done at Lake Parker and it was a smash hit with committee members! It was decided to pursue a state Watershed Grant through NEK-TV to help defray the costs involved in making a final version that could be shown statewide on Public Access and commercial TV stations just prior to LakeFest week. Unfortunately, due to of lack of funds as described earlier, the grant was not received. At the present time we are working with the Lake Protection Advisory Committee to see if funding can be obtained from other sources and Randy is proceeding with the planning for the final version. He is even trying to get Marcelis Parsons to narrate it. It was a great piece of work and you will see it at the annual meeting or possibly, if funding is obtained, on your favorite TV station prior to LakeFest Week.
If you have good luck fishing, a favorite spot or a good story to share, please tell Lora Atherton, P.O. Box 46, West Glover, VT 05875, so that she can pass it along during her fishing reports to the Association.
A principal activity of our association is the operation and maintenance of the weed cutting equipment. Where an excess growth of weeds interferes with boating or swimming, they are cut several feet below the surface. These cut weeds then float ashore, and they must be picked up and deposited on land back from the shoreline. If they are left in the water, they can re-root and defeat our purpose. So, please, when you find cut weeds along the shore, remove them from the water! This is a very important part of our weed control program. Also it is very important that you report the time you spend cutting and raking weeds because we get reimbursed for part of your time by a State of Vermont Aquatic Nuisance Control Grant Program. We received $1135.00 from the state for our weed harvesting efforts in 1997. The weed machine is being stored at the Barton Fairgrounds for the winter. Many thanks to Ernie Lord, Jeff Millette and to all of you who helped with the weed harvesting and equipment maintenance last year.
Vermont law requires all those born after January 1, 1974, to take a certified Vermont Boating Safety Course before operating a motorboat. Because of a shortage of certified boating safety instructors in our area, John Washburn, the Association Boat and Water Safety Chairperson, has arranged for an instructors’ certification course to be given at Lake Parker. The course will be taught by Bill Johnson, Coordinator of Boating Safety Instruction for the Vermont State Police Marine Division. The course consists of about two hours instruction and will be held at the Johnson camp(#25) some evening early this summer. If you wish to become a certified boating safety instructor, then please get in touch with John Washburn(525-6252 after Memorial Day) or Bob Johnson(525-3458 days or 525-4078 evenings). We expect to have applicants from both Lake Parker and Shadow Lake.
Lake Parker Mascot
Parker, a Double-Headed Yellow Amazon Parrot, is a new addition to the Lake Parker Country Store. Stop by to chat with Parker.
Two New Milfoil Lakes Found in 1997
The discovery last summer of two new Vermont lakes with Eurasian watermilfoil brings the statewide total to 42. The two newly infested lakes are Star Lake in Belmont and Lake Elligo in Craftsbury and Greensboro. The discovery of milfoil in Lake Elligo is particularly troubling to us because of its close proximity to Lake Parker. If you transport a boat between lakes in this region please be extra careful to wash your boat and prop so that you do not contribute to the spread of milfoil.
Camp Security
So far this winter, we know of only one camp around the lake that has been broken into.
Loon Nesting Platform
Betsy Day and Ernie Lord plan to build a loon nesting platform and place it at the south end of the lake.
Conservation License Plate Grants
Proceeds from the sale of Vermont Conservation License Plates provide funding for local and regional watershed projects in Vermont. Funds are available for water-related projects that:
· Protect or restore fish and wildlife habitats;
· Protect or restore water quality, shorelines, and streambanks;
· Develop or enhance recreational access and trails;
· Identify and protect historic and cultural resources;
· Educate people about watershed resources;
· Monitor fish and wildlife populations and/or water quality.
If you register a vehicle in Vermont, please consider purchasing a Conservation License Plate. Applications can be found at the Lake Parker Country Store.
Wildlife Report
Some of the wildlife spotted on the lake in 1997 were:
Common Loons - large flock stopping to feed in the early spring.
Great Blue Heron.
A family of Night Heron Chicks.
Beavers.
Osprey.
Kingfishers.
Mink.
Bear at the Joyce Littlefield camp # 121
Have you seen other wildlife? Let us know!
News About
Dues
The LPA fiscal year starts on July 1st each year. If you paid your dues last year you do not have to pay dues again until July 1998. However, it seems like a shame to have a newsletter that doesn’t include a dues form. So, one is enclosed, just in case you want to pay your dues early or get catch up from last year.
A Note from Randy Williams –
Captain, Glover Ambulance Squad
As of March 1st, the Glover Ambulance Squad separated from the Fire Department. It was a relatively civil divorce, but they left us in a somewhat tenuous financial situation. We will survive, however. We are in the process of forming a “Friends of the Glover Ambulance Squad Auxiliary” to assist us in our community efforts. Now that all of our fundraising will go into our own coffers, we have renewed enthusiasm for the effort. We envision this group as an extension of the squad members, reaching out into the community. Auxiliary members will receive a free subscription to the ambulance.
One hundred nineteen families subscribed to the ambulance. Remember that your ambulance subscription runs from March to March each year. You do not need to subscribe in order to use our services. But if you do subscribe, only $20.00 per household, any charges that your insurance doesn’t pay we absorb. Please use the form below if you wish to subscribe to the ambulance.
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1998 Subscription Form for
Glover Ambulance |
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Name: |
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of members of household: |
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Local
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(include
camp #) |
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Please include a check for $20.00 payable to: Glover Ambulance Squad C/O
Marion Woodard Glover, VT 05839 |
How to give us Feedback
If you would like to share your ideas on Association matters please contact Bob Johnson, camp #25, at 525-3458 during the day or 525-4078 evenings or Glenn Barber, camp #33, at 525-4113. Of course you can always drop us a line at Lake Parker Association, Inc., PO Box 69, West Glover, VT 05875 or use the comments section on the dues remittance form.
By Pauline Clarke – Sheffield, MA
The first time I saw Lake Parker it
was a cool day in early July. Rounding the corner past the village store in
West Glover, I caught a glimpse of water and thought perhaps a bit of the
summer sky had drifted down to nestle there among the trees. Later, when I sat
gazing out across its sunlit expanse, watching from the water's edge as the
light waltzed among the ripples, it seemed a jewel, with tapering spruce trees
for prongs and a setting of cloud pearls along the horizon.
With its 239 acres of surface area
and a maximum depth of 48 feet, Lake Parker is less imposing than, say, Lake
Willoughby whose thousand plus acres boasts an impressive 308 feet of icy water
at its deepest point, but stream-fed and serene, Parker is habitat to a number
of aquatic plants, host to a seasonal gathering of varied bird life, and home
to at least fifty permanent and another fifty or more summer residents.
I have walked the lake's edges in all
seasons, explored its shallow banks where the big-leaf pondweed lifts its seed
head above the restless water and cattails stand like sentries holding
brown-tipped spears. I have seen ducks flap down for perfect two-point landings
as the summer sun sinks beyond the horizon, and listened for the loon's
mournful call in the gathering dusk. I have walked through woods tinged with
autumn's palette and watched as crimson leaves spiral down to rest among the
tangled grasses where land and water meet. I have stood and peered through a
veil of snow, unable to make out the farther shore, and on a bright winter's
day, observed fishermen standing hopefully around a black hole in the ice,
angling for perch.
In the winter, the bungalows that surround the lake are shuttered and vacant, with a forlorn and desolate look about them. Snow piles high against the foundations and atop the roofs, and at their feet the water sleeps beneath two feet of ice. In the summer, the lake comes alive again. Boats blossom like waterlilies and late into the evening the shouts of children at play and the laughter of dinner guests echoes across the water.
I visit the lake as often as time and
work afar will allow. I have friends among the residents and an affinity for
the trees and fields that make up this part of the world. I am told that Lake
Parker is a lake in transition, that the clarity of its water is threatened,
that concentrations of phosphorous are uncomfortably high. Its watershed has
been disturbed by those who seek to enjoy the beauty of the area, and who now
must give extra thought and effort to its conservation. Lake preservation poses
the age-old question of symbiosis, of forming an advantageous relationship with
the very nature that nurtures us.
I can't imagine making the turn past
the village store and seeing only marshland where Lake Parker now spreads its
shimmering water. My grandchildren's grandchildren may come north some day,
looking for the lake I've written about almost every time I've returned home
from a visit. I hope they will witness for themselves 239 acres of summer sky
water, nestled among the trees, set like a jewel amid spruce prongs and cloud
pearls, where ducks make perfect landings and the loon calls plaintively in the
gathering dusk.