2003 Lakefest Makes a Big Splash!

Roxy Johnston
Outreach Committee Chair

Canadian band Classic Folk, introduced by Mary Catt, provided this year’s picnic accompaniment.

Nearly two hundred Network members, residents and visitors to our watershed attended Lakefest this year, held August 24 at Cayuga Lake State Park. We are greatly encouraged as more and more folks attend the celebration each year, taking time to learn a little more about our water resources, getting to know the organizations and individuals working to protect our beautiful watershed, and just having some fun. Of course, the weather helped tremendously; we couldn’t have ordered a better day at the Park.

	Future watershed stewards examine trout, courtesy of Ken Osika of DEC’s Fish Hatchery in Bath New York.

As always, musician and puppeteer-extraordinaire, Tom Knight, kept everyone laughing with his show, which features a brand new watershed song. Picnic fixings were generously provided, once again, by Wells College. Along with the many organizations who traveled to the north end of the lake with displays and information, we would also like to thank Captain Dennis Montgomery for his determined effort to make our floating classroom, the M/V Haendel, available for tours. With less than four feet of water at the dock, Dennis had quite a job getting the boat in — but we’re glad he made it.

Tom Knight entertains kids of all ages.

Lakefest 2003 also harolded the beginning of what we expect to become a long-standing tradition, as the first David Morehouse Awards for long-term commitment to the health and maintenance of the watershed were bestowed upon Sylvia Hurlbut and Patterson Farms. We’re already looking forward to next year’s Lakefest, and hope to see you there.