Greetings Neighbors,
Recently, when I asked one of our best friends who owns property on the lake why he was a sporadic member of the Six Mile Lake Association, his reply was that he could save his $25 and still get all the benefits of being a member…namely access to the website, newsletter and other basic information pertinent to Six Mile Lake. As I am older now, and not as quick on my feet as I used to be, I needed some time to ponder his reasoning.
While it is true that non-members do have access to the above there are other much more compelling reasons to join the Six Mile Lake Association. Immediately, the Special Assessment District (SAD) comes to mind. Without the self-education, hard work, and dedication of Six Mile Lake Association members…my friend, and indeed the rest of us could be struggling today with a weed infested lake, lower property values and be helpless to do anything about it. It was because of the early recognition of eurasion water milfoil by Association members and their willingness to spend thousands of hours of their personal time to educate the rest of us (and both Township Boards), that enabled the passage of the SAD and eventual treatment by PLM that returned Six Mile Lake to it’s pristine condition. So my question is this; Could this have been possible if the Six Mile Lake Association didn’t exist?
Way back in 1991, just a few years after the Association was formed, one of the first projects paid for by member dues was a shoreline survey done by Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council. That survey gave us an initial starting point as to the health of Six Mile Lake. Member dues and donations have paid for follow-up surveys, wall-eye plantings, water quality monitoring, improvement at Echo Township Park including the building of the informations kiosk there, no-wake signs at the Natural Area, weevil plantings, loon bandings, keychains, calendars, food & supplies at events such as the Annual Picnic held in August and the October Chili Supper. Member dues have also supported the St. Clair-Six Mile Lake Natural Area, the undeveloped riverway that connects the two lakes, and plays a large part in keeping our lake levels fairly stable and further adds to the pristine and wildness of Six Mile Lake.
Our members, not only contribute through their dues, but volunteer their valuable time to put on these events, as well as attend meetings and workshopes on behalf of all property owners on Six Mile Lake.
As I write this letter, I think of how fortunate I am to live on Six Mile Lake. I am grateful that most of the residents and property owners truly care about each other and the lake we all share. We are unique in that we have a very active, long-standing Association filled with members who are interested in the long term welfare not only of Six Mile Lake but each other. Your $25 membership enables us to continur doing the projects that make living on Six Mile Lake the best place to live anywhere!
See this year’s event schedule and visit us often at www.SixMileLakeAssociation.org
Cherie Hogan, president
Six Mile Lake Association