Hello LSC,  we'd like to let you know about this great Vermont Fish and Wildlife program called Junior Warden Weekend, talking place at the Edward F. Kehoe Green Mountain Conservation Camp on Lake Bomoseen, July 27th & 28th - and the Lake St. Catherine Association would like to sponsor a teen from Wells or Poultney to participate!

Teens ages 15-17 are invited to come learn up close how F&W Game Wardens contribute to conservation in Vermont. Participants will spend the weekend fishing, hiking, exploring mock crime scenes, and seeing K-9 units in action, and teens will stay in the cabins and enjoy campfires, s’mores, swimming, and other camp activities during their stay.

More details about Junior Warden Weekend are included below, and here is the direct link to learn more and apply:

https://vtfishandwildlife.com/learn-more/conservation-education/junior-warden-weekend

The LSCA would like to sponsor a teen from Wells or Poultney and cover the participation fee for them to attend this fun and educational weekend. If your teen from Wells or Poultney applies, please let us know at info@lakestcatherine.org, and we'll work with the program coordinator to make a donation to cover their fee. Spots are limited to 25 teens, so be sure to get your application in soon before the program is full. We'll sponsor the first applicant from Wells or Poultney that the program receives.

Please help to spread the word - thanks!

Hello LSC, here are your winners of the LSCA's 12th Annual Boat Parade. Over 250 votes were cast in the online poll!

THANK YOU to:

• All of our creative participants
• The Goldman Family for being our lead boat
• Karen Velsor for the fantastic photos of the boats

Winner, Best Overall: Boat #9 - Come On Barbie Let's Go Party - Christine Gay

Second Place, Best Overall: Boat #7 - Carnival - Hicks Family

Winner, Funniest: Boat #5 - Dump Run! - Conine Family

Second Place, Funniest: Boat #9 - Come On Barbie Let's Go Party - Christine Gay

Winner, Most Original: Boat #7 - Carnival - Hicks Family

Second Place, Most Original: Boat #2 - The Loon Pontoon - Dawn Smith-Pliner

Winner, Most Patriotic: Boat #11 - God Bless America!! - Dave & Lisa

Second Place, Most Patriotic: Boat #8 - Red, White and Brew BBQ - Cahill & Klamik Family

If you enjoyed the boat parade, please consider becoming a member of the Lake St. Catherine Association to support our work for the benefit of LSC. We have multiple membership levels for you. You can learn more about becoming a member here: https://lakestcatherine.org/become-a-member

Thank you, and have a safe and fun 4th of July weekend!

Hello LSC - we hope you all enjoyed the boat parade!

THANK YOU: 

> All of our CREATIVE participants!
> Karen Velsor for the AWESOME photos!
> Everyone cheering from their boats and from the shore!

Now, time to vote for your favorite boats in our four categories:

• Most Original
• Most Patriotic
• Funniest
• Best Overall

Here is the link:

https://forms.gle/Bxe5KqAoTaykhHkXA

Poll closes at 9 PM - so get your votes in - and we'll post the results later this evening.

Note: We did not get a photo of Boat #14 - if someone has a photo of this boat, please send along so we can update the poll.

Thanks all - hope you have a great 4th weekend!

If you'd like to help support the LSCA's mission of the preservation, protection, and maintenance of beautiful Lake St. Catherine, you can become a member or make a donation.

More info here: 

> https://lakestcatherine.org/become-a-member
> https://lakestcatherine.org/donation

Thank you!

Photo Gallery:

> All photos by Karen Velsor

Hello LSC.

We'd like to invite you to the 2024 Lake St. Catherine Association's Annual Meeting & Dinner at the Lake St. Catherine Country Club on Saturday, July 27th, beginning at 6 PM.

The LSCA Trustees will update you on lake issues, give you reports from their committees, and discuss current and future initiatives for the lake. The meeting will conclude with an open question and answer session, then we'll have a nice dinner together with our lake neighbors.

Our Guest Speakers will include:

• Hilary Solomon from Poultney Mettowee Natural Resources Conservation District (PMNRCD) with an update on the Lake St. Catherine Watershed Action Plan.

We are looking forward to seeing you!

At approximately 7:30, dinner will be served. If you'd like to stay for dinner, the LSC CC has provided the menu below.

Dinner options:

• $25 - Chicken Piccata
• $25 - Seafood Stuffed Filet of Sole
• $35 - Prime Rib

Dinners include a vegetable, salad, and potato. Cake and coffee will be served for dessert.

Please RSVP for the meeting by clicking here to register, or by clicking the grey 'Register' button on the left. You will be able to indicate the selection of dinner(s) you'd like to reserve. If you'd like to attend the meeting, but not stay for dinner, leave the dinner selection fields blank. You can pay online with a credit card or with cash at the door.

> You must RSVP for a dinner by July 21st so the Country Club can properly prepare. We'll not be able to take walk-ins for dinner.

Please plan on arriving a bit before 6 PM so you can get checked in and be seated so we can begin the presentation as close to 6 as possible.

80 dinners are available. Dinners sold out last year, so please RSVP as soon as possible.

Thank you!

The Wells Village Library and the Lake St. Catherine Association (LSCA) are hosting their third event of the year at the Lake St. Catherine State Park on Saturday, July 13th from 10 AM until 3 PM.

Libraries Love Lakes is an outreach project pairing schools and public libraries with lake scientists to promote collaborative and educational programming emphasizing the importance of lakes to our everyday lives. Accordingly, there will be a slew of fun and educational activities designed to get folks on and in the lake.

When arriving, attendees mentioning Libraries Love Lakes will enjoy free park entry. The first 20 families to arrive will receive an event-themed kit containing on-topic books and other materials. This is a family friendly event, so bring the kids and they’ll get a free treat from the snack bar. There will be swimming, canoeing, kayaking, pedal boating and more.

At the park nature center between 12 PM and 2 PM, various presenters will be on-hand including Meghan Hill Bartholomew of the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum. Meghan will set up a 35’ x 27’ Lake Champlain Watershed Giant Map and talk about upstream influences on Lake St. Catherine, among other things. Additionally, the new State Park Interpreter, Jeff Ormsbee, will demonstrate water quality testing as well as the collection and study of macroinvertebrates from Endless Brook, which runs through the park and into the lake. Finally, members of the Lake Education and Action Program (LEAP) and the Lake Wise Program teams from the Poultney Mettowee Natural Resources Conservation District (PMNRCD) will display their stream table and discuss water quality, runoff, and erosion impacts.

This and most LLL activities are possible through an Education & Outreach Grant from the Lake Champlain Basin Program and the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission. Watch for details on another great event planned for October.

Questions may be directed to Jerremy Jones, Trustee, at the Lake St. Catherine Association by calling (802) 287-6027 or emailing jerremy.jones@lakestcatherine.org.

Hello LSC. We'd like to provide you with an update from our Diver Assisted Suction Harvesting (DASH) team, as they have started off the season with hand-pulling milfoil.

Here's the update from Beck:

"Ferncliff Aquatic Services finished hand-pulling location H1 today (along West Lake Road) and moved onto location H in Oxbow Bay (see the 2024 map here). We have been testing out our new electric air compressors that drastically reduce noise and don’t emit exhaust. We look forward to incorporating them into our operation throughout the summer."

Also, the team frequently removes garbage they find as they work. Here is just a small example from the past few days of the type and amount of junk that they pick up from the lake bottom:

Thanks to Beck and the DASH team for their great work around the lake!

Full DASH operations will begin on July 1.

On Saturday, June 22nd, the Lake St. Catherine Association held their second meeting of the 2024 season.

Attendance: John Belnavis, Mark Shea, Sue Wojtkowiak, Mary Jo Teetor, Lisa Micich, Jim Canders, Jeff Crandall (call in), Kemi McShane (call in), Frank Callahan, Jerremy Jones, and Mike Gay. Absent: Bob Williams, Nancy Liberatore, Rob Nesbit, Ed Laird

Guests: None

Call to Order: President Jim Canders called the meeting to order at 8:00.

Public Comment: None.

Call to Order: President Jim Canders called the meeting to order at 8:30 AM

Approval of Meeting Minutes: Minutes of May 25, 2024 posted. Motion to accept the minutes as presented. All in favor, so moved.

Treasurer’s Report: Mary Jo Teetor presented income and expenses. Motion to accept the Treasurer’s report. All in favor, so moved.

Annual Membership Meeting: Saturday, July 20,20224. The annual membership meeting will be held at the LSC CC at 6:00 PM. The format for the meeting will be the Committee Chairperson will present for each committee. One guest speaker will address the Membership. An invitation will be made to Hilary from the PMNRCD who will report on the Lake St. Catherine Watershed Action Plan, and the Stormwater Master Plan. Invitations were also extended to the Select Boards of Poultney and Wells, and our state senators and representatives. John spoke of the menu selection and pricing as discussed with the Dining Room manager, Nicole. The facility can handle 80 guests. All dinner reservations and selection must be made by 7/21. The Board of Trustees are preparing for a good turnout and will be able to address topics of interest, and save time for a Q&A period at the end of the Membership meeting.

Milfoil Management: Jeff Crandall, treatment took place on June 4, 2024. June 6, 2024 water testing showed the herbicide had dissipated out of the water. Jim spoke to the presence of the law enforcement at the boat launch area, and how well they handled the protesting. Jeff has received the SOLitude contract and has the invoice for payment of $48,260.00 to give to MJ. Jeff reported an update for the DASH program. The team will work on 14 sites, as approved by the DEC. The team will begin full operations on July 1, 2024. A motion was made to ratify the DASH budget, (that was proposed via e-mail) for $53,000.00. All in favor, so moved. On our new 5-year permit application, no new news, but we do expect a public meeting, and will ask members to make comments and participate.

Greeter Program: John Belnavis spoke of the team Greeters this 2024 season consisting of high schoolers and retirees. John mentioned the good relationship between the Marina and the Greeters, which allows the Greeters to use the facilities at the Marina. He has good coverage for this season. John mentioned a conversation with Kim Jensen about a potential boat wash station, and led to a discussion about the new wake boat decontamination rules.

Water Quality and Testing: Mary Jo Teetor spoke of the high pollen count this Spring. She will address any area of water that is of concern to residents. Cyanobacteria are always present and become problematic due to weather conditions. There has been a decrease in the phosphorus levels in LSC which could be the result of property owner education and the work of various water quality improvement projects around the lake by LSCA and PMNRCD.

Publicity: Jerremy Jones, involvement with FOVLAP has provided an increased exposure to other lakes and is a good resource for what is going on in the State. LSCA’s website and Facebook pages are continually updated with LSC related information.

Lake Safety: Frank Callahan & Mike Gay, reported the condition and placement of the many buoys around the lake. All were in the lake for Memorial Day weekend. One went missing and was found in Halls Bay. An additional marker will be added to Forest House Bay for the protection of the Loons and their new chick. Frank said that he may not be able to conduct the boat safety course as he had done over the years, waiting for booklets and tests from the State.

Nominating Committee: Jim Canders referred to the E-mail poll and the results. Lisa, Mike and Mark will be returning Trustees, Rob has not informed the board of his decision yet. John’s seat is open for a new candidate. Discussion regarding potential new Trustees. Jerremy will invite the candidate that was discussed. John mentioned the collection of the signs posted to inform the public of the herbicide treatment, need to stay up for 30 days, John will collect them at that time. John also mentioned a conversation about beavers in Lily Pond from a resident. Jerremy will reach out to someone at the State who recently gave a presentation on beavers.

Membership: Jerremy Jones, to date there are 350 LSCA members. The membership goal is to reach 400. A reminder postcard will be sent later in July.

Government Relations: Jim Canders addressed the cooperation the LSCA received from Wells and the State of VT regarding the need for a presence at the boat launch on the day of the treatment.

Grants: Mary Jo Teetor mentioned the need to hire a Grant writer and discussed the process for writing a grant and reporting on it is time consuming. MJ has managed the grants with help from Hilary and her staff at PMNRCD. This position will be advertised.

Old Business: LSCA to participate in East Poultney Day, August 10th. LSCA new welcome sign needs to be erected and a placement for it needs to be established. Contacted the Butternut Hill Condos to ask to use their land at the base of the hill. A written agreement between the LSCA and Butternut Hill Condos was suggested.

New Business: Jerremy reported that registration for the Boat Parade is low but usually picks up once people arrive at the Lake. Volunteers to help at the Library Loves Lakes on July 13 at the State Park would be helpful.

Subsequent Trustees Meeting dates:

July 27, 2024 Trustees Meeting 8:30 AM

July 27, 2024 Annual Membership Meeting 6:00 PM at LSC CC

August 24, 2024 Trustees Meeting 8:30 AM (last meeting for 2024) to include Election of Officers: President, Vice President and Treasurer

Motion to adjourn meeting at 10:25, all in favor, so moved.

Respectfully submitted, Kemi McShane

It was quite the day yesterday when Dawn & Joel, who have been monitoring the nesting loons from their camp on the Channel, reported that a baby loon chick was seen with the pair. Then, a few hours later, a new sighting with two loon chicks! 

Amazing!

The parent loons were observed feeding the chicks, and the chicks were seen riding on the backs of their parents. 

Here is a photo taken by Lake St. Catherine photographer extraordinaire Karen Velsor:

Thank you to Karen for allowing us to include one of her photos in this announcement!

Many more images and videos have been posted in the Lake St. Catherine Vermont Facebook Group, which you can join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/LakeSaintCatherine

As of last evening, all four loons were observed heading under the bridge, then out onto the Big Lake!

Please keep your eyes peeled for them, and be sure to give them their space - and do not approach them during this crucial time.

Check out this brochure from the Vermont Center for Ecostudies, "A Guide For Boaters" for tips on sharing the water with the loons.

Thanks to Dawn & Joel for keeping a good eye on them as they nested, and thanks Eric Hanson from the Vermont Center for Ecostudies for his support over these past several years to get us to the this point!

Our Game Warden Justin Turner sent us his first update of the 2024 season about his work at the lake since May 22nd to pass along to the lake community. He will be providing updates throughout the season.

We thank Justin for his work, and for providing these updates to the lake community!

Justin's Report:

“Vermont Game Wardens returned to boating patrol on Lake St. Catherine on May 22, 2024. Like last summer, Wardens will be conducting safety inspections, fishing compliance checks and general patrol for boating safety.

Wake violations were one of the most common complaints and or observed violations in 2023. As a reminder, it is a violation to operate a boat within 200 feet of the shoreline; an individual in the water; a canoe, rowboat, or other vessel; an anchored or moored vessel containing any individual; or anchorages or docks, except at a speed of less than five miles per hour that does not create a wake.

In addition, and worth noting, an individual shall not operate a vessel, except at speeds of less than five miles per hour, within 200 feet of a designated swimming area. This applies to the designated swimming area buoys found off the beach at the State Park and through the channel.

As mentioned above, a safety inspection is an equipment check including but not limited to the following items when applicable, working lights, pfd(s), fire extinguisher(s), registration numbers, current validation sticker, muffling device, a working bilge blower, and a boating safety card. Having said that about fire extinguishers, if your non rechargeable fire extinguisher is more than 12 years old, it is considered “expired” per the United State Coast Guard rules and regulations. Here is a link to the USCG boat responsibly page as it pertains to fire extinguishers and a Q&A taken from that page: 

Q3. How do I tell if my fire extinguisher is expired?

A3.  If your disposable (non-rechargeable) fire extinguisher has the Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) Trademark, a date of manufacture stamped on the bottle, and it is older than 12 years since the date, the extinguisher is considered expired and must be removed from service. Look for wording on the bottle stating, “This product must be removed from service within 12 years after date of manufacturing”.

https://uscgboating.org/recreational-boaters/fire-extinguisher-faq.php

Here is a link to the USCG boat responsibly home page:

https://uscgboating.org/index.php

If you see Wardens on the boat, please feel free to flag us down on the water or from your dock and we are happy to complete an inspection for you or answer any questions/concerns you may have.”

Hello LSC - We'd like to let you know that the 12th Annual LSCA Boat Parade has been scheduled and is open for registration!

The 12th Annual LSCA Boat Parade will be on Saturday, July 6th at 1 PM.

We all know how fun it is to watch the boat parade, but it's even more fun to be part of it!

As we did last year, we'll take photos of all participants, and we'll have a lake-wide online vote to decide the winner.

Our categories are:

• Most Original
• Most Patriotic
• Funniest
• Best Overall

If you'd like to register your boat, please email us at info@lakestcatherine.org with your name, phone number, and boat name or theme. We'll get you signed up and will reply back with your boat number, and give you all the details on how to participate.

Our 11th Annual Boat Parade winners, and current reigning champions are:

Most Patriotic:

1st Place: Boat #3 - 4th of July / Fireworks - Joseph Cheslawski

Funniest:

1st Place: Boat #11 - Sunnyside 5th Generation - Megan Caswell

Most Original:

1st Place: Boat #1 - Unidentified Floating Object - The Goldman Family

Best Overall:

1st Place: Boat #6 - Groovin On The Lake 2.0 - Christine & Mike Gay

[ All photos by Karen Velsor - thanks Karen! ]

So, start thinking about your theme, and mark your calendars for July 6th! Then, email us at info@lakestcatherine.org to register your boat.

Also, lake resident Rick Roberts has announced that his annual fireworks display will take place that evening, Saturday, July 6th at dusk. 

It's going to be a fun day!