Doc. #2009-
CAYUGA LAKE WATERSHED NETWORK
Steward's Report
July 19, 2009
Wells College, Aurora NY

I want to let you know that with our summer staff - Rachel Singley, Office Manager; and Jade Cassalia, 2009 Summer Intern - we are getting a lot done at our Wells College office and elsewhere.

Doug Haith and colleagues' significant report, "A New Study of Nitrogen and Phosphorus Inputs to Cayuga Lake," is available at our web site and is a feature of Network News #2/09, coming to your mailbox in the next two weeks (it is at the printer now, along with mailing labels from our office).

Network News 2/09 also contains:

* All about our Sunset on Cayuga Fundraiser on September 26 (more on this below!)

* Rebecca Ruggles on the Weeds Conference held last spring and the booklet, "Aquatic Weeds: Nuisance and Necessity," now available at our Web site, paper copies mailed on request;

* John Mawdsley on the topic of the Marcellus Shale and potential watershed impacts (based on his power point presentation to the Board two months ago);

* Ruth Richardson - about the woolly adelgid threat, and watershed impacts;

* Upcoming Events in the Watershed (see updated version, attached)

* Five Things You Can Do to help protect the lake and watershed;

* A report by Rachel Singley about River Rally '09, a call for
Morehouse Award nominations, and an introduction to Hilary Lambert as the new Steward;

* Membership info; and all about the Network online (Facebook! Blogsite! Web site!).

* ..and more!

Additionally, we are receiving a very good response to our recent membership renewal, and will send out another shortly.

We received a very welcome grant from the Park Foundation, for work doing advocacy and outreach in subwatersheds;

We are re-connecting with past funders, and establishing ties with new ones.

The Lake Levels talk was well attended and will be held again in late August at the History Center in Ithaca.

We had a lively and fun Open House at our Wells College office on July 11.

Between now and September 26, we need to focus on what we can each do to make our Sunset on Cayuga Fundraiser a smashing success.

Working under the guidance of Ronda Fessenden, Carmel Schmidt and Karen Philip, staff have sent out flyers and press releases to area publications and radio stations, and will follow up with more communications as the event approaches.

What can you be doing?

Buying tickets, selling tickets, encouraging your friends to attend, recommending to staff personal and business names we should invite, andhelping us locate big fancy items (over $200 in value) for the silent auction, and smaller wonderful things for the raffle.

A few weeks ago, we learned to our delight that a group of folks (you know who you are!) has purchased a table and named it Ladies of the Lake (plus Tom Vawter).

I hereby throw down a donation of $200 toward a BIG FISH table, Workers for the Watershed (if you have a better name idea, let me know!).

WHO WILL JOIN ME in taking the fundraising lead from the Lake Ladies and their gents??

ADDITIONALLY, I call out to generous and wise donors who are willing to help raise the bucks to sponsor an Emerging Watershed Leaders Table, for our young staff, their guests, and other new thinkers and doers in the Cayuga Lake Watershed.

Please tell your friends about these two great donation opportunities.

Dream up your own!

I ask you to commit now to help protect our watershed and Network by making Sunset on Cayuga a great success.

Sunset on Cayuga tickets and flyers will be available at the Network Board and Guests Social on the 21st, and are available via paypal on our home page..