From the SLA: Why he joined

By Fran Rotunno Fish

The best part of the volunteer job as the SLA Membership Chair is having the opportunity to talk with, email and read letters from members around the lake, across the country and even a few outside of the country.

The stories that I hear often include complements for the SLA’s efforts to protect Skaneateles Lake and its watershed….always great to hear or read.

But other stories in those conversations, emails and letters are also very special to hear or read about and they are the stories of why people joined.

Those stories range from multigenerational life on the lake for some families down to the most basic reason….I drink the water.

It does not take much attention to what is happening to water supplies to understand that being the reason for many people.  That reason is born out in the number of members who do not live on the waterfront or even have lake rights, but who do drink the water via the village water system.

This past week, however, I had a conversation with a new member that was very special.

We received a new membership from a person who lives in another lake community. After checking out the various databases available, I found this person did not own property in any of the towns in the Skaneateles Lake watershed and was not in business in the area.

Since he provided his phone number, I called him and after thanking him for joining I simply said “so tell me why did you join the SLA…you don’t live here, own property in the lake community or have a business here.”

His response was simple, “I love the lake. I drive to Skaneateles just to walk around and look at the lake and I figure if I love it, then the right thing to do is to support organizations like the SLA.”  Wow!

I have an envelope that I hand out at some events that has an SLA member registration form and a return envelope tucked into it, but the front of the envelope has this message:  If you live on the lake; if you boat, swim, kayak, sail or paddle the lake; if you fish the lake, if you drink the lake water; if the lake draws customers to your business or if you just love the lake, shouldn’t you be a member of the Skaneateles Lake Association?

This new member did not get one of those envelopes to encourage his membership, but he did understand the principal of the last statement on the front of the envelope….suport what you love.

The Skaneateles Lake Association is the only not for profit organization whose only focus is Skaneateles Lake and its watershed so I will repeat the message on the envelope.

If you live on the lake; if you boat, swim, kayak, sail or paddle the lake; if you fish the lake, if you drink the lake water; if the lake draws customers to your business or if you just love the lake, shouldn’t you be a member of the Skaneateles Lake Association?

You can join the SLA online at SkaneatelesLake.org or you can call 315-558-3142 for a member registration form and return envelope to be sent to you.

If you are already an SLA member you can contribute to the Legacy Fund for Skaneateles Lake and support our efforts to prevent future Harmful Algal Blooms by making a contribution to the Legacy Fund online at SkaneatelesLake.org or by mailing your check made out to the SLA (noting the memo line “Legacy Fund”) to P. O. Box 862 Skaneateles, NY 13152.

We thank the Columbian Foundation for the generous funding that will enable us to purchase and install a shed for our Invasive Species Monitoring Stewards who are on duty at the Town of Scott Boar Launch.  This shed will provide them with protection form the elements and also provide them with safe storage of equipment supplies and personal gear.

We thank the following for sponsoring the Milfoil Boar for a day:  Amelia Kaymen & Eric Yopes, Aster Weddings & Events, Margaret & Angelo Scopelianos, Lynn & Gardner McLean, Karen & Paul Black, Mr. & Mrs. Paul Leone. Karen & Paul Black, Jennifer & Mathew Carden.

We thank the following for co-sponsoring the Milfoil Boar for a day:  Jessica & Douglas Fedderman, Siglinde Wikstrom, Paula & Edward Conan, Gina & Geoffrey Wickwire, Anonymous Donor.

We thank the following for sponsoring a Steward for a day:  Julie Abbot-Kenan, Skaneateles Jewelry, Catherine & Steve Fedrizzi, Mary & Michael Hearn, Merily & Gerhard Heyer, Richard Evans.

We thank the following for their donations to the David Lee Hardy Fund that helps support our Steward Program:  Mary Socci, Robert & Francine Torrisi, Patricia Worrel.