Greetings Members,
This will be my last communication to you as President and I wanted to say thanks to all of you for all the support and encouragement you have given to me as your President for the past 3 years! We have accomplished some amazing things together and if we stay together, support each other, have common goals to keep Six Mile Lake pristine and beautiful and our community the best place to live anywhere then we will all have many more years together as a cohesive and meaningful organization. All of us together are a powerful advocate for our lake. As I stated in my newsletter that went to every home on Six Mile Lake this summer, no one fights for Six Mile Lake like the members who make up the Six Mile Lake Association. The Six Mile Lake Association exists for Six Mile Lake and for nothing else. That is our strength. This doesn’t mean that we don’t consult with or support some programs of other groups. The loon project from the Loon Network or the shoreline program from Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council or GTRLC Natural Area project are good examples of programs we support or participate in, however, once our name is allowed to be used to support a project of any other group or organization it can automatically be inadvertently associated with other projects connected with that group that SMLA may not support at all. The Six Mile Lake Association, therefore, represents Six Mile Lake alone.
2017 has been an amazing year for our lake. I am pleased to say that the SAD is a success and that we are working on renewing the SAD for 2018 and beyond. The loon program has been a success with two loon families raised on Six Mile Lake for the first time ever. Our membership increased thanks to Cliff Sorrell, Our email system to members was reinstituted by Sally Diecks. The kiosk at the park is getting a facelift. Another shoreline survey was conducted on Six Mile Lake at no charge to us. We have petitioned the Townships for signs at both parks. We purchased loon buoys and no-wake buoys for the Natural Area. Derrick Hakim revamped our website and it is just beautiful!! Paula Stephanic set up a new procedure to track memberships. And these are just a few items we worked on this year!
2018 brings a new President, Cliff Sorrell (Cliff has lots of new ideas) and a couple of enthusiastic new faces to the board…Linda VanAndel and Kathryn Bell. Paula Stephanic will be the new treasurer. I will be the new secretary. Jeff Rogers, Craig Schmidt, and Joy Hettig will remain on the board. Outgoing officers are Kathy Batka, who did a marvelous job as treasurer for two years and Tom Kupovits who was our reluctant but very efficient secretary! I can tell you that all of these wonderful people made my job a lot easier and I can only say ‘thank you so much!’
Again, I wanted to let all of you know just how much your support for the Six Mile Lake Association means. All of us, whether volunteering for the board, or serving on a committee, or attending a meeting, or watching the loons, the swans, or other wildlife, planting a greenbelt, attending an event or workshop, or township meeting on behalf of the Association, ALL of this makes a difference and contributes to what this Association is all about. I can say without reservation that it has been an honor to serve as your President!
See you in 2018!!!
Cherie Hogan