DANFORTH, Maine – On Saturday, July 23, the Chiputneticook International Lake Conservancy (CLIC) held what had become a long-standing annual event before the pandemic struck and closed down many public gatherings: a hot dog roast on Half Moon Island.
The island is situated toward the north end of East Grand Lake. Anyone who has access to a boat is invited, CLIC member or not. Volunteers, some of whom have been organizing the event for years, erected a number of awnings to provide shade and fired up a large grill and a deep fryer which had been lugged to the island by boat. Maine’s traditional red hot dogs were served, along with French fries that many say are among the best fries they’ve ever had. Soft drinks were also provided. The day, like most days this summer, was bright and sunny. Personal records indicate CLIC’s first hot dog roast was held on July 16, 2005.
On Saturday, Aug. 20, CLIC held its first annual meeting since 2019 at First Settlers Lodge in Weston. Attendance was appreciably smaller than the last annual meeting. When asked about the lack of notification about the meeting, David Townsend, the CLIC President, said he anticipated the question. Due to the sudden death of membership secretary Bill Walton, followed by the sudden death of Anne Callnan who succeeded him, the organization had lost all access to the email addresses of members. After much detective work, they have retrieved 262 names and addresses. All records are now being stored as Google docs for online access by all members of the board of directors.
The meeting included a report from Townsend which touched on a variety of topics, including the license to operate the dam at Forest City. Kathy Conley gave the treasurer’s report as well as a summary of the membership situation. Peter Chase gave a report on fisheries and John Johnston a report on water quality. Among other things, Johnston said there are now only two members testing water quality. There used to be many more prior to the pandemic. At the end of the meeting, three people were voted in as board members at the meeting: Ann Barnes, Edwin Decker, and Cari Ann Michaud.
CLIC, a not-for-profit organization founded in 1992 as an environmental and conservation lake association, is dedicated to preserving the quality of water in the Upper St. Croix River Watershed’s five Chiputneticook Lakes: North, East Grand, Mud, Spednic and Palfrey, the lake system which runs between Canada and the southern part of Aroostook and northern part of Washington Counties. The organization also maintains interest in Deering Lake in Orient and Bracket Lake in Weston.
Among other things, over the years it has run a classroom fish tank project as an environmental education program in the middle schools in Houlton, Hodgdon and Danforth, has placed picnic tables on Half Moon Island and the point by Howe Cove, New Brunswick in East Grand Lake, erected loon nesting platforms on East Grand and sponsored and maintained the binoculars at the scenic overlooks north of Weston.
Although there haven’t been general meetings for several years, President Townsend provided a listing of the various activities and accomplishments of ongoing action since its last annual meeting.
The CLIC board is happy to be having its traditional Reorganization Meeting this fall as an in-person meeting where they will strategize for the upcoming year’s activities.
Any CLIC member who has not yet paid their 2022 dues should mail their dues check to CLIC, 82 Schoolhouse Rd, Unit 30, Orient, ME 04471. Anyone interested in joining CLIC is welcome to reach out to CLIC’s corporate secretary, Kathy Conley at the same address.
