Friends of Lake Glenville

Community members gathered at Lake Glenville this weekend for the annual Lake Glenville clean up.  
“We’re stewards of the lake,” said Tom Albert, director of special events for Friends of Lake Glenville and organizer of this year’s cleanup. “We want to preserve this lake for generations to come and that’s why we are doing this.”
Volunteers included members of the community that live by the lake who want to ensure it remains safe and clean for various recreational activities, such as boating. 
For David Feist, director of water quality for Friends of Lake Glenville, one of the most important aspects of the cleanup is making sure the lake is navigable and free from hazardous debris. Among the debris, the most common to be found are large logs and floating dock pieces. 
“We want everyone on the lake to be safe. This is a big part of it,” he said. “The lake has continued to get more boats and more people on it, which means there’s more dock floats. There’s more things that are floating. So, it becomes even more important to make sure the waterway is more navigable.”
Feist said debris could cause risk to boaters and swimmers alike, making the cleanup efforts even more important for the lake. 
“Last year, for example, we pulled a sunken boat out of the lake. So, it can be anything,” he said. 
This year saw a remarkable turnout, with more than 120 volunteers participating, up from the initial 80 that signed up. 
“There’s about 120 volunteers that are involved right now and probably about 80 boats,” Feist said. “We’ve got BH Graning that has one of their barges to bring in floats from the south end of the lake.”
Reflecting on the benefits that the annual cleanup brings, Feist said it fosters a strong sense of community among residents, who come together to protect the local environment for future generations. 
“It’s the sense of community that you get. We know people out there that are donating their entire day to pull pieces of boards [from docks] out of the lake so that their kids, their grandkids and their family can be safe on the lake,” he said. 
Following the cleanup, volunteers headed over to Happ’s Place for a wrap-up celebration, where people were recognized and given awards for their efforts on the lake. 
The award for biggest log removed from the lake was given to Tom and Carol Miller. In recognition for their effort beyond and above, an award was given to the crew from BH Graning Landscapes, who volunteered at the event.
The award for the most unusual item pulled on the lake was given to Colby Berger and Andrew Albu for the tractor tire that they found.
According to Interim Director of Membership Marianne Smith, Friends of Lake Glenville has been around since 1985, celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. She said the annual lake clean up reflects the passion that each member feels in ensuring the lake is pristine.
“The passion is for keeping this treasure the way it is. That’s the passion we all share,” she said. “Our intention is to try to keep it as pristine as we possibly can.”
As Friends of Lake Glenville continue their mission in preserving the lake, Smith said they also host community events, such as firework displays and boat parades, further enriching the local culture and community engagement. 
“I think I’m most proud of the sense of community that it builds and that makes me feel good,” Smith said. 
“I hope that [volunteers] feel a sense of accomplishment knowing that they’ve done their part to keep the lake as clean as possible.”