|
Dear Subscriber Full Name, It's hard to believe that it's already here, but it's time to join or renew your membership in the Paradox Lake Association and make an annual contribution for 2022. May is when we have traditionally held our annual campaign, and your dues and contributions are what supports the activities we undertake to protect and preserve our lake. This year is no exception, but our request comes with particular urgency. As we have been communicating since last fall, 2021 was particularly challenging in our fight against milfoil in our lake, and other lakes around the Adirondacks are facing similar difficulties. Recognizing the need to take quick and decisive action, your Board of Directors has authorized several important steps to control and push back the spread of Eurasian Watermilfoil. The Invasives Committee has been expanded and has been at work over the winter developing plans for a more systematic and organized approach to scouting, snorkeling, diving, and directing the work of our harvesting contractor Aqualogic. In fact, our contract with Aqualogic calls for them to be on the lake every day from approximately Memorial Day to Labor Day, at a cost of $70,000. That rate of spend is unsustainable for our organization, but it will be supported from a drawdown of our reserves this year. Because we can't sustain this level of spending in the future, we will also begin the permit process for the application of the herbicide ProcellaCOR in a few select spots on the lake in 2023 where hand harvesting is ineffective, which will allow us to reduce the amount of hand harvesting beyond 2023. So what is our request? Our dues remain at $20 for a single membership, and $35 for a family membership. These minimum levels don't begin to cover the expenses we've outlined above, and if you've been paying the minimum in the past, please consider adding a contribution this year. In 2021, our dues and contribution revenue was $26,500 (on average $135 per member/family). We are setting a goal to increase that amount to $34,500 (on average $172 per member/family), an increase of 30%. We are hopeful that you recognize the important steps that we are taking to control invasives in the lake and you will increase last year's contribution by 30% so that we can accomplish the mission and won't have to reduce the plan because of a lack of funding. It's an ambitious request but we know you recognize the importance of turning back the invasives in our lake. To pay your annual membership dues and more, please go to our website www.paradox-lake.com and click on the pink bar at the top of the page to go to our Donate page, (or simply click here), to make a secure payment with your credit card. You will get a donation confirmation receipt by email, which you can print for your records. We prefer that payments be made through the website, but if you would rather pay by check, you can print a membership form from the same page on the website and mail your completed form and payment to PLA, PO Box 45, Severance, NY 12872. The PLA is a 501c3 non-profit organization, so your contributions may be tax deductible. Thank you so much for your support, and we are confident that we can continue our work together to keep our lake beautiful and healthy. Dan Gorke
President, PLA Board
|
