LWPOA Newsletter, Summer/Fall 2018 Looking at Summer 2018 in the Rearview Mirror LWPOA Summer Picnic The LWPOA picnic at Rice Pavilion was decorated in a cowboy/western theme this year. Many picnickers came dressed in their western wear. Both kids and adults took advantage of having their pictures made with the cutout cowboy and his horse as they entered the pavilion. Horseshoes, ring toss, ladder toss, soccer, and face painting were set up for all to enjoy and many participated in the hula hoop contest. Special thanks to Cherry Ward who provided a variety of music throughout the evening. Picnickers could dance or just sit back and enjoy the music as they mixed and mingled. A delicious catered picnic meal was provided for all members and their guests as another beautiful sunset on Lake Wedowee graced everyone in attendance. Also, special thanks to the hospitality committee: Nan Ferebee, Vickie Stapler, Dianne and John Lunsford, Cherry Ward, and Sylvia and Nick French for organizing and decorating for this fun filled event. Thanks to Mike Tranum for deciding on the menu and a caterer for this event. LWPOA, Summer/Fall 2018 Page 1 of 5
Other Area Summer Activities Summer was filled with activities on and off the lake. For those who had worn the water out or been worn out by the water, other community activities were available. Art on the Median took place in Wedowee sponsored by the East Alabama Arts Society. Summer on Main, sponsored by the Randolph County Chamber of Commerce, took place in downtown Roanoke and featured arts and crafts, a petting zoo, and rides for children during the day. The day wrapped up with a free Soul Tymes Nine concert and dance in the Martin Theater amphitheater later that evening. The Randolph County Sheriff s Department sponsored another exciting two day Rodeo event this year with spectacular bull riding and roping events, as well as stunts and trick riding done by the master cowboys and cowgirls from the Southeastern Professional Cowboys Association. The event took place in the new Randolph County Ag Center. Two fabulous fireworks shows were planned during the Fourth of July week this year. A beautiful show occurred on the lake from the Flat Rock area prior to the Fourth. The Town of Woodland sponsored a glorious Fourth of July fireworks show complete with music and dancing at the gorgeous Woodland Pavilion. Summer was, indeed, full of many activities for people of all ages to enjoy. Falling Forward From the Chairperson Sylvia French Board Update: In July, a new LWPOA board was seated. The 2018-2019 Board members consist of: Sylvia French, Chairperson Crystal Barnes-Key, Vice Chairperson Tom Comte, Treasurer Nan Ferebee Cherry Ward Lynn Amason Peggy Minter Mike Tranum Andretti Daniel is the Administrative Assistant for the organization. Membership continues to grow, and we are looking forward to a very productive year. All members on the board have already proven themselves in past years by helping out with the many LWPOA ongoing events. Thanks so much to each of you for volunteering your time to this great organization that works so hard for the beautiful investment we have in the lake and the surrounding community. LWPOA members and anyone who enjoys the lake needs to be aware of the continuing study for the Relicensing of the lake. Last year, Alabama Power Company initiated the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) study for R.L. Harris Hydroelectric Project (Lake Wedowee). These meetings/workshops have been informative. Employees representing different agencies within Alabama Power asked for input from property owners and those in the community to determine the wants and needs of everyone who enjoys the lake. The next meeting will take place on Thursday, September 20 th at 9:00 AM CST at the Oxford Civic Center located on 401 McCullars Lane, in Oxford, Alabama 36203. LWPOA, Summer/Fall 2018 Page 2 of 5
The LWPOA Fall meeting will take place, September 29 th, at Wedowee Marine South on Highway 48 beginning at 9:00 AM CST. Coffee, juices, water, pastries, and fruit will be served. An information packed meeting is planned for members of the association. The key note speakers for this meeting will be members from Randolph County High School s Fishing Team. In addition, Shelia Smith from Alabama Shoreline Management will update everyone on FERC s Relicensing of Lake Wedowee. In October, we look forward to the annual Lake Cleanup event which will take place October 23 rd 25 th, starting each day at the Highway 48 boat ramp. Betty and Marlon Glover and Bob May are instrumental in getting this project organized. They work hard contacting sponsors who provide coffee each morning to get the lake cleanup volunteers started. Betty, Marlon, and Bob also contact area business which provide lunches for all the workers. Boats and volunteers are needed each year. Please contact Marlon and Betty Glover at (404) 556-4813 or (770) 823-6761 if you have a boat the LWPOA may use during the cleanup. At the end of this event, boats are cleaned and washed before being returned to their owners. LWPOA pays for the gas used in the boats during the cleanup. The Association and area volunteers work cleaning debris and trash from the lake. Even though we work hard, we have a good time meeting new members and others who just enjoy the lake. Seeing the beautiful fall foliage, eagles, osprey, and fish as we travel from spot to spot cleaning the lake is a rewarding experience for everyone involved. Many of us find some wonderful drift wood, lures, and other collectibles as we work together to keep our lake clean and beautiful. Fall is upon us, and we are looking forward to a productive and fun filled year. Invite friends and neighbors to join the association as we all enjoy the beauty of the lake. Membership Committee Update Peggy Minter The LWPOA has 409 members to date and counting. The LWPOA welcomes anyone who loves Lake Wedowee and cares about the environment and beauty of the lake. We have three meetings a year, one of which is a dinner during the winter, another is a summer picnic the third is a meeting in September. Dues are $35 a year. The LWPOA supports and/or sponsors many different activities, some of which are: Testing the water to ensure water quality Maintaining mile marker signs to assist boaters Working with marine police to promote water safety Developing and maintaining a birding trail on Fox Creek Installing Christmas trees in the lake to enhance fish habitat Renew our Rivers lake cleanup every October Kids Fishing Day every spring Presently, we are developing a new brochure which includes a membership application. The new LWPOA brochure applications will be placed at area businesses throughout the lake community. We appreciate all of our members. Our members make it possible for the association to sponsor all of these events and activities in and around our lake community. The LWPOA will have a table set up at the Fall Membership meeting at Wedowee Marine South on September 29 th. The meeting begins at 9:00 AM CST. Speakers will be on hand to answer questions and concerns of LWPOA, Summer/Fall 2018 Page 3 of 5
members of the association, and refreshments will be served. Please stop by and join or renew your membership and bring your friends! If you need an application, please let us know and we will be sure to get one to you. Our address is: LWPOA. PO Box 55, Wedowee, AL 36278. Or, you can find us on Facebook at LakeWedoweePOA (Please Like Us) and on the web at https://www.lakewedoweepoa.com/. You do not have to be a full time resident, own property, or be located on the lake to be a member. If you are renting property or have an RV in a campground you are welcome to join as well. I know you will find this organization to be made up of a great group of people who have a vested interest in maintaining the beauty of our lake community. Lake Clean-Up Update Marlon and Betty Glover The 2018 Lake Wedowee Lake Cleanup will begin Oct. 23 rd and continue through Oct. 25 th. Please meet at the Hwy. 48 West boat ramp at 8:00 each morning. We need lots of boats and volunteers! Drinks, snacks, and lunch are provided each day. Gas is furnished and all boats will be cleaned the last day. Please call Bob May 256-454-6921 or Marlon Glover 770-823-6761 if you have any questions. Water Monitoring John Lunsford The water quality monitoring program, which is one of the most important jobs of the LWPOA, tests the water in Lake Wedowee and its tributaries on a monthly basis. The cleanliness of our lake is important to the entire community of water users as well as the folks downstream. The water is tested for chemical indicators of healthy water, and several volunteers also do bacteriological testing. Test results are entered into the Alabama Water Watch database; this data is available online at the AWW website. Information for almost every lake, stream and river in the state of Alabama is available at this site. Thanks to all the folks who have signed up to do water monitoring, all the test kits are in use and all the water testers have been certified. We have people monitoring many different areas of the lake but we encourage anyone who sees or hears about a potential water problem, to please contact the water quality chairman. 2018 2019 Committee Chair Appointments Hospitality Nan Ferebee and Peggy Minter Facebook Lynn Amason Newsletter Cherry Ward Publicity Sylvia French Website Mike Browning Boating Safety Mike Tranum Relicensing Sylvia French Water Quality John Lunsford Membership Peggy Minter Kids Fishing Day Crystal Barnes-Key Fox Creek Birding Trail Carlton Amason Lake Clean up Betty and Marlon Glover Fish Habitat Mike Tranum Summer on the Lake Sylvia French LWPOA, Summer/Fall 2018 Page 4 of 5
CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS September 29, 2018 9:00 am CT Tuesday, Oct. 23 Thursday, Oct 25, 2018 Begin at 8:00 am CT Feb. 9, 2019 Early Feb., 2019 Date TBA 2019 Date TBA Thursday May 22, 2019 June TBA, 2019 General Meeting of the Membership Wedowee Marine South on Highway 48 Renew Our Rivers Lake Clean-up with Alabama Power Meet at Highway 48 Boat Ramp Contact: Sheila Smith (256) 396-5093, scsmith@southernco.com or Bob May (256) 454-6921 or Marlon Glover (770) 823-6761 Winter Dinner Randolph County High School Auditorium Installation of Christmas Trees for Fish Habitat with Alabama Power Company Summer on the Lake Wedowee Marine South on Highway 48 Kids Fishing Day Rice Pavilion Summer Picnic Rice Pavilion LWPOA, Summer/Fall 2018 Page 5 of 5