Memorial Day weekend starts the LLPOA summer season, which begins with the 2016 membership drive. Association dues are $25 again this year. With your membership you will receive a “Clean, Drain and Dry” sign to place on your dock or boat. This is the association’s way of bringing attention to the drive to stop the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS) on Lone Lake and all lakes in Minnesota. Thanks to Bev Napurski (LLPOA Board director) who produced the signs.
We also want to thank the small but determined road clean up group that met on a cold and windy Saturday, May 7 to clean the environment around Lone Lake. The hardy group had coffee and rolls, took a group picture and then got right to the road clean up. They were…..and we thank them for their dedication! They could use a few more volunteers this fall and next year, too.
ACLARA (Aitkin County Lakes and Rivers Association) held its annual DNR AIS Boat Inspection Training and Certification session at the Hazelton Township Hall on May 21. Walt and Dianne Weisser from our lake association organized and hosted the event. Boat inspectors must take the in-person AIS training every three years and an on-line refresher course in the intervening years. The online course with videos help boat inspectors stay current with best practices to prevent the spread of AIS. I personally did the review on-line as I was certified in 2014 and the six short videos were great and very informative. Linda Szymanski is our AIS Coordinator and is doing a great job facilitating the county inspectors and our own team of lake ambassadors. We are making some changes in our AIS Inspection Program and look for that report here. Please step-up and get certified as a volunteer and help in the fight to stop the spread of AIS and specifically on Lone Lake!
Finally, we have proclaimed this year to be the year of the Monarch butterfly. If you have milkweed on your property, do not cut them down or run them over. If you don’t have milkweed, plant then! We will be featuring the Monarch butterfly at our annual meeting with a guest speaker and also distributing milkweed seeds to plant in the fall. In the meantime, take pictures of butterflies for our Lake Association Butterfly Picture Contest also to be held at the annual meeting.
Thanks you for your support of the LLPOA and we’ll see you on the lake!
Steve Frazier, LLPOA President