esla december 2020 newsletter - elk-skegemog

President’s Message

ESLA December 2020 Newsletter

CONTENTS

President’s Message 1

Meet our ESLA Members 2-3

Fleet and admiral Members 4-5

Commodore/Captain 6-7

Captain/General Members 8-9

General Members 10

Members cont. from pg. 2 11

New Members 12

Mary Beth Kazanski

ESLA President

It has been awhile since we have put out a third newsletter in a year but this has not been an av-erage year. We all have had a bit of upheaval in our routines, our plans and our relationships. With this newsletter we hope to cele-brate and genuinely thank those who have stayed with us in these trying times. We also hope to inspire others to join us in our work. Perhaps a global pandem-ic gives us a new perspective and chance to reprioritize our lives. We have the good fortune to live either on or near amazingly beautiful waters - Elk and Skeg-emog Lakes and Torch and Rap-id Rivers. And as much as we may pay our mortgages, proper-

ty taxes and improve our homes, in reality we are mere stewards of this place. Our mission is to be caretak-ers of these great natural gifts. ESLA helps us be stewards. For over 70 years, the ripari-ans and like-minded citizens along these waterways have banded together to do the work necessary to protect this water. They have sam-pled, cleaned, observed, edu-cated and otherwise done everything they could to make sure this place would be there for their children and their children’s children. And not just be there, but be better. We must appreciate the val-ue of living within the Great Lakes Watershed and the valuable resource it presents to the planet. With 20% of the world’s fresh water in our midst and growing pres-sure both from climate change and development, it is up to us to work to protect it. And as in all immense projects, the work begins with simple steps. Take care of the place around you. If together we take care of these places, we leave our mark in a positive fashion. We can get the job done.

This Newsletter is devoted to thanking and recognizing ESLA members for their support. The following pag-es identify each 2020 con-tributing member(s) by con-tribution level and zone. If your name has been inad-vertently omitted, please contact [email protected] so we can update our database. ESLA membership de-creased in 2020. Will you join us in this work by help-ing us grow our membership in 2021? Let us all be the stewards of this beautiful place. You can contribute now for 2021 by returning the en-closed dues envelope with a check or electronically at: https://www.elk-skegemog.org. Thanks.

ESLA Membership - by Bob Campbell, V.P.

From the apparent membership crisis in early summer, the riparians of Elk and Skegemog lakes and the Elk, Torch and lower Rapid rivers have rallied in dramatic support of the Elk-Skegemog Lakes Association.

Three cheers to those who stayed with us through this challenging year and those who have joined the cause for protecting our waterways!

In the past five months, our paid membership has grown from about 185 to 463 as of Oct. 31 when we closed the books for the year. On the downside, our total paid membership is down about 100 from 2019. On the upside, more than half of 2020 memberships were renewed at more than twice the basic $25 support level. In fact, 25% of this year’s members attained Admiral status (dues of at least $100) and many gave more.

One couple, who asked not to be identified, surprised us with a check for $10,000. Board members who have helped lead ESLA for decades couldn’t recall a gift ever approaching that level.

As our lakes face growing challenges from invasive species, continued development, shoreline degradation, pervasive golden-brown algae, poorly regulated older septic systems, a new RV park on the Torch River and other issues, it’s critical that ESLA has the resources to respond.

Consider ESLA’s programs:

• Water sampling and state-of-the-art testing to better understand and respond to what’s happen-ing below the surface of our waters.

• Seasonal installation and removal of navigation buoys at the mouth of the Torch River to help boaters navigate away from the stumps.

• Loon nesting platforms built by our volunteers. • Strong advocacy for better fishing opportunities that helped convince DNR officials to resume

planting brown trout in Elk Lake. • Construction and safe placement of fish habitat improvement boxes in Elk Lake. (We’re look-

ing to add more boxes on the south end of Elk in the next few years. • Employment of a fiduciary to track our membership and a summer intern to conduct environ-

mental research under guidance from board members with science and regulatory backgrounds. • Financial support for construction of the new kayak launch in Elk Rapids, as well as water ad-

vocacy groups including Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council and The Watershed Center Grand Traverse Bay.

• Efforts — such as this newsletter, our improving website and recorded Zoom interviews with local experts — to keep members better informed.

• Except in this pandemic year when large in-person gatherings posed a health threat, ESLA has hosted an annual members’ meeting and sponsored spring/summer It’s a Shore Thing gather-ings featuring speakers of interest and, of course, refreshments.

We’re hoping that for 2021 we’ll be on track to reach membership records set more than 20 years ago and exceeding 700.

If you’re reading this and whether you paid dues this year or not, it’s time to move forward. Either use the included envelope for 2021 dues or go to elk-skegemog.org, click on Join ESLA, Pay Membership. Use a credit card or PayPal. ESLA is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit.

With the mailed envelope, be sure to provide your contact email. If you pay online, we’ll have your email. Under no circumstances will ESLA release your contact information to a third party. But ESLA occasionally reaches out to let members know about significant news of interest to our riparians and other supporters. (continued on page 11)

mailto:elk-skegemog.org


What members are saying about ESLA—For this special report, I reached out to ESLA members — long-timers and newbies — who live in our five zones. Chip Visci and Marty Claus, for-mer newspaper colleagues, own a cabin they built on the east shore of Elk Lake in ESLA’s Zone B.

“I inherited a strong respect for ESLA as well as a passion for Elk Lake. My parents’ ESLA member-ship sign greeted visitors to their cottage for decades and I’ve been an ESLA member for almost 40 years now.” — Chip Visci

“When Chip first brought me here, it was love at first sight. Now, every year, we happily sign a check to maintain our membership in ESLA, helping to sustain

these lovely lakes for generations to come.” — Marty Claus

Lou and Nancy Sanford, whose names are synonymous with support for all things Elk, live in a grand hillside home Lou’s grandfather Louie Hildreth built in 1947. The property, in

ESLA Zone A, is on the northwest shore of Elk Lake. Lou is a former ESLA board member.

“The lakes and waterways have been precious to my family since my grandpar-ents came to Rex Terrace in the 1920s. We see ESLA as important in helping pre-serve them. That’s why we’re all here. And that’s why we don’t mow clear to the lake as ESLA recommends.” — Lou Sanford

Becky and Mike Lanham live on the Torch River in ESLA Zone E. They’ve been year-round residents since 2012. They are big supporters of ESLA’s water quality and shoreline protection initiatives. And because they regularly cruise into Skege-mog for early evening fishing and sunset views, they appreciate the large (and ex-pensive) buoys and reflectors ESLA installs that help keep them and others out of the logjams.

“Lots of people think it’s the sheriff departments who do that, but ESLA pays to

put them in each spring and take them out each fall. We could not fish and go sun-

set viewing, if we did not have the buoys and reflectors to help us get in and out of the channel.” — Becky Lanham

Colleen and Bill Osantowski enjoyed years of cottage ownership on a small lake northeast of Gray-ling. But approaching retirement, they looked for bigger lakes and less isola-tion before buying on the south shore of Skegemog in Zone D. They’re among our new ESLA-ites, eager to make friends — especially those who say “Go Green, Go White — who share deep appreciation for our waters.

“We saw ESLA as an opportunity to begin networking with people of common interests. We look forward to eventually attending in person the annual meet-

ing and monthly gatherings at Twisted Fish art gallery.” — Bill and Colleen

Osantowski

John and Liz Ammond recently moved into a small subdivision on the south-western corner of Elk Lake. They credit their neighbor Jan Garvey, who heads ESLA’s environmental committee, with convincing them to join ESLA. They live in Zone C.

“When we moved to Elk Lake in 2018 we were intrigued by the loons and other waterfowl on the lake. Joining ESLA has given us the opportunity to learn more about the lake and wildlife that we are surrounded by.” — John and Liz Am-mond

BUTCHER Mike & ROGERS B. Pamela A

PIGGOTT Joseph & Genese A

REYNOLDS Keith & Janice A

VOR BROKER Robert A

RUEDI, Philip and STAICH Laura A

LAYER Jeffrey & Lisa B

COVINGTON, Tom B

MAGNELL Paul & Kathleen B

McNERNEY Patrick & Jan B

RINDER Robert & April B

STREET Maureen B

THOMSON Sally & Sandy B

VANCE Sam III and Ginny B

MARL Richard & Lori C

STILLMAN Margaret C

ALFORD Donald W Jr & Mary D

BROWN Bruce & Jennie D

COVINGTON Thomas & Irene

FLATLEY John & Diane

RUEDI Philip & STAICH Laura

Fleet Admiral (greater than $100) and zone


ALBERTSON William & Kathryn

AMES Brian & Elizabeth

BARTLETT Dennis & Jeanette

BURNETTE FOODS INC

CASANTA Theodoro & Theresa

CHENOWETH Gary & Mary

CRIMMINS William & CORCORAN CRIMMINS C.

DYKEMA John & Lisa

EASTON Ray & Jacquelyn

EVANS Robert W & Sharon

FEDRIGON Don Jr & Renee

FISHER Joseph

FRANCIS Steve & Deborah

GAST William & Marlene

GEHRES Jeffrey & Susan

GEHRES Tom & Karen

GURDAK Ronald

Hessco Real Estate Trust

HOSEY Thomas & Mary Ann

LEVY Pamela

LOOMIS Catherine & John

McCRIRIE Bob & Lisa

PARKER James & Sandra

PERRONE William & Pamela

PHIPPS David & Karen

POLANSKI John & Kathleen

POLLISTER AMOS Julia

QUIGEL James

SANFORD Louis & Nancy

STEED Catherine

THOMAS Paul & Melanie

VELIQUETTE Norman

WEISS Daniel & MICHALAK Jean

WILTSE Thomas & Susan

BAY Ruth

BREMER Robert & Pirkko

CLAUDEPIERRE Dale

COVINGTON William

CROUT Richard

CRUM Dennis

GINTHER Dean & Sharon

GOETZ James & Carol

HALL Kenneth & Christine

HALL Robert & GLINES Cynthia

HOGARTH Andrew & Terry

HUNT Horace III and Sarah

KINGON Robert & Karen

LYON Peter & Janet

McINTYRE Michael & Susan

NELSON Scott & NELSON Thomas

OGBURN Tom & Caroline

PARADISE Scott & Cynthia

REYNOLDS Kent & Mary Ann

RIMAR Steve & Janet

ROGERS Elyse & Edward

ROGERS John & LYON-ROGERS Margo

ROYCE Ragland and BLOEM Ken

SCHREIBER Norm and Mary

SIMS Barry & Robin

SUTHERIN PROPERTIES LLC

VANDRAGT Robert & NORTON, Jackie

VISCI Joseph & CLAUS Martha

VOLZ Carolyn

WIDMAN John & Nancy

WILLIAMS Roger & Linda

Admiral– Zone A ($100) Admiral-Zone B ($100)

ADAMS Judson C & Shirley J

BUXTON Susanne

CAMERON Craig & Laura

COGGESHALL John & Heidi

COMPERE Bob & Leslie

GURD James

MADDOX Jack & GARVEY Jan

McRAY Gary & Nancy

PIERCE Patrick Dean & Linda

PINKEPANK Frank

REESE Dennis & Barbara

RIVES Jerald Sr & Sharon

STYKE Theodore & Patricia

WEIR Walace & Judith

FINCH Kurtis & Lynn

PIERCE Thomas & KAZANSKI Mary Beth

PRINDIVILLE David & Tracey

VOGEL John & AMERMAN Kathy

Admiral –Zone C ($100)

BEAMISH Richard & Cheryl

BECKER Rick & Janis

BECKER Theo & Robert

BEITEL Ron Jr. and Beth

BONATO Donald J & Iris

BOROVICH Kenneth & Mary Ellen

BROWN Susan

CAMPBELL Robert & Ruth

CLARK Gary & Debbie

COTANCHE Martin & Valerie

DEWEY Lawrence & Luanne

GADD Steven & Anita

GOLD Richard & Alice

HAUSER David & HAUSER Butch

KNG John J.

KRINOCK Mark & Karen

KUHL Pete & Lynne

LAWRENCE-COPP Katherine

LENZINI Bob & Eva

LETT Greg and Kate

LINDNER James

Admiral-Zone D ($100)

Admiral-Zone E ($100)

Commodore-Zone A ($75)

HURWITZ Dale & Rosemary

JOHNSON Charles & Gloria

KNIGHT George & Cheryl

McCUAIG Bruce & Helen

MUHLIG Nancy

SEIFRIED George

Commodore-Zone B ($75)

DOLD Douglas & Elaine

Hamilton Ted & Pamela

PFLEGER Kathleen & Dennis

VANDERKAAY Mark & Robin

WAGNER Albert & Joan

WELTYK William & Donna

Commodore-Zone C ($75)

BIERLEY Mark & Helen

BOATWRIGHT Verna Joy

BROWN Esther

PETERSON Karen

RICHARDSON Jon

SMITH Mark S & Ann

VOSS Stephen

WENTWORTH Robert & Michelle

WHEELER Tim


Commodore-Zone D ($75)

DEROSHA Ed

REIDER Robert & McCRAVEN Susan

THOMAS Audrey

Captain -Zone A ($50)

BIRGE Clifford & Carolyn

BOGER Robert

BOTTOMLEY Douglas & Jane

CHAMBERLIN Scott & Mary

CLARK Glen & Sherrie

DAVIES John & Edy

FISHER Dianne

HALL Robert & Susan

HATCH Margaret

HEJL Patrick

JACKSON Thomas and Patricia

JONKER Margo

KIELISZEWSKI Donald & Sharon

KREUZE David & Nancy

KRILL David & Linda

KRUSHENA Michael & Elizabeth

LESKO Michael

PALMISANO Thomas & CRABTREE Margaret

PASSON Craig & Judith

REDMAN Bruce & Linda

REID Gary & Martha

STALEY Paul & Joyce

STIBBS Robert

STOCKHAUSEN William

TAYLOR Brian & Deborah

VAMMER Paul & Pam

WARNER Douglas & Wendy

ZACHMAN Peggy & John

Captain -Zone B ($50)

BARTZ Dennis & Loraine

BENMARK Rusty and Brent

BRUNER Richard & Sharon

BUNKER Deborah

BURNS Keith & Margaret

BUSHNELL Margaret

COBB Michael & Daniele

DORNER William & Virginia

DOTY Peter & Jan

DRAGSTEDT II Lester & Natalie

FERGUSON, David and CAMPBELL-FERGUSON Gail

FISH Virginia

GINTHER April

GORNO Gregory & Patti

GROBAR George & Lisa

HESSE Peter & Mary

HUSPENI Mary & Jeff

Jackson Andrew & Patricia

KAZARIAN Richard L & Kathleen

KNUDSTRUP Matthew & Deborah

LIBBEY Richard Jr & Margaret

LYNCH Richard & Lynda

McGRATH Dan & Jane

McKIMMY James and Lou Ann

MILLER David & Jill

MOORE Jim & Amy

MULHALL Marty and Debbie

NESIN Janet

OSBORNE George & Emily

PATTON James Lee & Denise

PIGGOTT Mark & Theresa

STASINOS Steve

STIENON Francis & Elaine

VANITVELT Donald & Kathleen

VERCRUYSSE John & Shelia

WILIS John and Angie

WORSFOLD Charles & Deborah

Captain -Zone C ($50)

BANK David & Kathleen

BROAD Edward R Jr & Dorothy

CHENEY Scott & HUGHES Colleen

DIMERCURIO Peter & Kathy

GAMBOA Ignacio & MOORE Tracey

LOWMAN Phillip

MUNCIE Glenn

ORCHARD Melvin & Barbara and ROB-ERTS Peggy

PETHERICK Jeffrey & Gina

PICKETT Thomas & Barbara

RICHARDSON Philip & Joan

ROMANELLI GARY & HELEN ETAL

SUMMERVILLE Andrew

VERT John F Jr & Beverly

WISHART Barbara & Alfred Jr

Captain -Zone D ($50)

BEITEL Ronald

BONER Joseph

BORGER Elizabeth N

BRAVENDER Lee & Julie K

CHAPMAN Vernon and Joanner

DREYER James & Linda

ECKHARDT Henry & Bonnie

HARRIS Stephen & Fay

LARAMIE Gordon & Patricia

LOOCK Timothy and Chris

ORCHARD Jeffrey & Debra

Osantowski William

PALMER Edward & Donna

PASCOE Jerry & Deborah

RIVERS-FRIESE Mary Anne

RYAN Hubert & Nancy

STEINBERGER Thomas & Patricia

Captain -Zone E ($50)

DAY Phillip & Sheryl

HOBIG George & Mary

KARLSONS Valda

KELLY Patrick & Jolene

LAWICKI David & Denise

O'BOYLE Jerry & Marian

PARKER John & Karen

PHILIP Kenneth & Marjory

TETREAU Jill Trustee

Ensign -Zone A ($25)

ANDERSON Thomas

APPELL Ralph & Leone

ATKINSON Donald & Maria

BAKER Donald & Linda

Becchetti Elizabeth A

BECKER John & Ellen

BOGER Marilyn

BUHL Richard D Jr

CASCIANO Chris & Nancy

COE Jennifer & Bartley Rebecca

DAVIS Richard & Pamela

DENNIS Scott & Debra

DORGAN Dale & Barbara

DYKE Robert

EHLERS Jeffery & Sandra

EMMETT Harold & Joanne

FARAGE Fred & STREBEL Carl

FERRARI John & Joan

FOSTER Andrew & Sharon

FRONHEISER Glenn & Martha

HAMILTON William & Jane

HIBBARD Wallace & Dolores

KINTZ David

LARSON William & Anita

LUNDY Barbara


Ensign -Zone B ($25)

BATCHELOR James & Theresa

BOYNTON Ron & Jan

BOYNTON Nancy

BUCHER Glenn & Carol

BURNS Elaine

Doneth David

DORAN Matthew

ELLINWOOD Charles

ELLIS Sara & Fred

FARMER Nilah

FENDER Mark & Nicole

FERRIES Paul & Julie

FRITTS John & Donna

GILBERT Marc & Pauline

GULICK Frederick & Ann

HAMILTON Michael & Eileen

HARRISON Dave & Karin

HARTMAN James

HATCH Mark & Anne

HOLZHAUER Gregory & Louise

JORGENSEN Thomas & Jeanne A

JUPIN Juanita

KILIAN Gerald & Gloria

KIRCHNER Thomas & Kay

KLENK Lawrence & Melanie

KRENTZ Kenneth - MOHR Susan

LARAWAY Kathyrn - SPEES Jane E - APPELL Nancy L

LETSCHE William & Betty Lou

LILL James & Mary

MACDONALD Michael & Judith

MANTHEY Gary & Kathryn Liv Trust

MATZEN Richard & Susan

McCLINTICK Bruce & Carol

MESROBIAN James & Susan

NICHOLS Roy & Elizabeth

OLIPHANT Robert & Elizabeth

PETRONI Thomas & Kathy

RENIS Joseph & Carol

RINEK Mitchell & Nancy

SCHERF Otto

SMITH Tim & Julie

SNYDER Niki

SNYDER Randall & Niki

SOAVE Frank & Ruth Ann

STAFFORD RICHARD K

STEELE Charles & Marcia

STEWART Glen & Mary

MATTHEWS John & Barbara

McCAMMAN Beverly

MICHALSKI Michael & Darcy

MILLER Terry & Sarah

MISCHEL John & Renee

PARKER Greg & Janet

PRICE Cynthia

REID John

REMAX Real Estate

RENTSCH Stefan & Janet

SABTY Emile & Nira

SAK James & Verna

SAUNDERS Mark & Caroline

SCHULER Chuck & Linda

SHAW Pamela

SHUMATE James & Laura

SMITH Shen & Richard

STALEY Phyllis

STANDERFER Anthony & Christine

STANKO Diane

THEROUX Nancy

VIALL Peter & Pauline

WALKER, Gregory

WELCH Lee and Ellen

ZIEMIKE D Philip & Linda

ALLEN Mike & Jo

ALLSHOUSE Stephanie DiMercurio

AMMOND John & Elizabeth

BALSLEY Rollin B & Linda K TST

BERAK Lorraine

BROWN Kyler

BUKOWSKI Richard

BURDO Lawrence & Kathleen

BUXTON Richard

CHESEBORO Karie & Thomas

CLARK William Jr & Connie

COLOMBO Louis

ELLIOTT Barbara

EMERY Dennis & Barbara

GERWIN Charles & Kathleen

GLENN Donald & Karen

GREEN Marie/Carolyn

GULLO Gerald & Mary

GUNDERSEN Hans & Linda

HAMILTON Greg

HARBIN Phyllis

HAYDEN Donald C JR

HECKERT William & Kay

KOKINAKES John & Nancy

KOLAK Gerald & Roberta

LETHERBY Frank & Nancy

McMULLEN Thomas & Deborah

MISHLER Ronald & Shelley

MONSON Wayne K

MORNINGSTAR Joanne & Dain

NICHOLS Nels & Lynda

PATTON Glenn & Ann

RATTERMAN Joan

RYBARSYK Shelly M

SANFORD Britton & Alicia

SLOPSEMA Thomas & Linda

TIETEMA Richard & Susan

Trudell Karen

WARREN James

WIESENAUER Beth

WOOD Louis

WROUBEL Carlyle

ZIELINSKI Frank & Margaret

Ensign -Zone C ($25)

Ensign -Zone D ($25)

BOUCHER John & Sheryl

BURKHEAD Douglas & Marguerite

CLARK David & Nancy

CRAMER Gary & Beverly

FRIES Mark & Rebecca

FREEMAN J & FARRINGTON Mary

GROBE Edward & Loretta

HULL Andrew & Camie

KADIAN MICHAEL M REVOC TRUST

KALLIS John & Jean

KERLIN Bob & Janet

KLUG Thomas & Nancy

KRANZ Jerry & Beverly

KUZNICKI David & Jill

McELWEE Shelle & Tom

MODRACK Charles

TAYLOR J Kristopher

WALKER Steven & Sally

WALSH William J & Nancy

WAMSLEY Stephen & REA Shelly

WEAVER Gregory & Deborah

WOYTOWICH Helen

Ensign -Zone B ($25)


Ensign -Zone E ($25)

CHILSON John & Gisela Trust

COCHRAN Famil Trust

GREINER Joan

HINKIN Jean

HUNT Diane D

JONES Richard & Melba

KAPANOWSKI Joseph

KOOS John & Inge

KUZEE David & Dinora

LARSON Paula & Richard

MARIAGE Tracy

MARTIN Bob & Donna

MOORE Julie & Kernie

RUSSELL Blain & Bridget

ZIEBART Kurt & Edith

RINDER Carl Admiral

CRAINE Mark Captain

EDMOND Patricia Captain

LAGOWSKI Jim Captain

COMFORT Peg Ensign

COOKE Alex and Cece Ensign

STALEY Steve and Cindy Ensign

TROSKO Eric and Molly Ensign

WELLMAN Daniel Ensign

ZUIDEMA Goerge and Joan Ensigh

In 2021, we’ll open some board committees to in-terested members, allowing broader engagement and more ways to help. It’s a great way to meet like-minded members in our sprawling neighbor-hood.

For members and prospective members, we have copies of three publications that we’d be happy to share. We can make arrangements to drop off or have you pick up a packet if you’re in the area now or the next time you visit your property. You can contact us at [email protected] if interested. Board member’s phone numbers also are listed on the website (link above) under the heading Contact Us. The publications are:

• The “Riparian Handbook” — a 56-page maga-zine-style document published in 2005. While some issues are dated, it has loads of valuable information about the watershed and the chal-lenges it faces. Mark Stone, the Antrim County Drain Commissioner and Director of Dams, is the author.

• “Fifty Years of Stewardship” — a 12-page document published in August 2000 that is a history of ESLA as an organization. We plan to update this document for our 75th anniver-sary in 2025, but the paper is rich with detail about ESLA’s history.

• A small, folding color flyer with less detail.

Members—continued from page 2

MONTGOMERY William & Anne

MULLEN Donald and Sandra

NUNNELEY Stewart & Peggy

PETERSON Glenn

QUINLAN David

RADEMACHER Leroy & Ann

RICKEY Mark and Janet

ROSS Sharon

SAWYERS Theresa

SCHULTE Felicia

SINGER RICHARD M TRUSTEE

SPANGENBERG Phil

SWOPE Sally

TAYLOR Mark & Maria

WHITMORE Candy

WILTJER Glory

ZEBOOR Tony & Janet

ZIEBART Jenny

Additional Supporters

https://d.docs.live.net/97a82fd91e62c031/Documents/[email protected]


ESLA

P.O. Box 8

Elk Rapids, MI 49629

Don’t forget to renew your dues for 2021 or join. You can use the enclosed dues envelope or go to: https://www.elk-skegemog.org/ and click on the “join ESLA but-ton”