A few rain sprinkles did not deter attendees at the PLIA’s Annual Volunteer Appreciation Cookout on Sunday, September 25th from enjoying themselves. Under the shelter of the State Park Pavilion, about 40 members of the PLIA who volunteer their time in various programs and service projects gathered to eat, drink, and be merry.
PLIA Board members organize this event every fall to celebrate and thank the folks who give of their energy and dedication to support our organization. They arrived early to set up and get ready for guests.
Our volunteers are Weed Watchers, Lake Hosts, Milfoil Team searchers and extractors, water 
samplers, neighborhood ambassadors, Chinese mystery snail eradicators, community service contributors, roadside trash pickers, event planners, trainers, fundraisers, committee members, and all-around supporters of the work the PLIA does. When they get together, you can feel the energy of their love for
Pawtuckaway Lake fill the space and raise the roof!
Our President listed and praised all the many volunteer activities that have been performed this year. Plans for a winter event or events on the lake are already being hatched, according to our Vice President! This summer has been particularly challenging for our Milfoil Team, with more infestations to extract and fewer Weed Control Divers to do it! We are looking to train more of them for next year.
So, if you see one of our volunteers at work or at rest, please take a moment to say THANK YOU!
On August 20, 56 paddlers 
entered the Third Annual Paddle Poker Tournament held on Pawtuckaway Lake. It was a fundraiser for the PLIA and raised a whopping $2,200 for our organization’s programs! Troy Brown of the Mountain Road Trading Post donated $250 to sponsor the event, as well as discount coupons for merchandise at the store. Thank you, Troy!
There were five stations around 
the lake offering playing cards and refreshments to participants as they paddled the course. These hosts contributed generously to the fun and games: 
Tom Duffy and Karen Rydeen, Michele and Mark Lefebvre, Bob and Karen Given, Pete and Carol Wawrzonek,
and Dee and John Decker. Thank you to these wonderful hosts!
Frieden (Low hand).
conversation was spirited, and the love for Pawtuckaway was abundant. What’s 
not to enjoy? Thanks to all who participated and made this event such a spectacular success – there was plenty of fun to go around (see for yourself)!
The PLIA Annual Meeting held at the Pawtuckaway State Park Pavilion on June 11 
attracted a crowd of over 80 people. The weather was fine, spirits were high, and attention was focused on issues of importance to wildlife and recreation on the lake.
The featured speaker, Krystal Costa Balanoff of NH LAKES, addressed the gathering on the topic of making shoreline properties lake friendly. She stressed the harm caused by runoff of polluted water into the lake and ways to mitigate such damage through landscaping and other practices. NH LAKES offers a program called LakeSmart designed to help property owners assess conditions on their property, suggesting methods to improve their land and its impact on the health of adjacent water. The program is free of charge and completely confidential. To learn more, click 
updating members on the status of various issues related to the lake and its community.
A fundraising effort initiated by one of our youngest members was also introduced.
for his tireless work and countless volunteer hours extracting milfoil from the lake 
with his diving partner Sarah Patey. Neil detailed the efforts of this exceptional team of volunteer divers over the past several years, starting as early as April with ice still on the lake until October amid the lake drawdown. Because she could not be present at the meeting, Sarah was presented with her award at the home of Milfoil Team Chair Neil Santos. Thank you, Sarah and Jamie!
project for Nottingham Clean Up Day. They brought their tools, rolled up their sleeves, and got to work on reversing the neglect of five years without maintenance. From 8:00 – 11:30 AM on April 16th, volunteers wielded picks, hoes, rakes, saws, loppers, and wheelbarrows in an effort to reclaim the sand that had been taken over by grass and bushes.
were holding together a lot of soil on top of the underlying sand. The bushes had roots that were long and tough and resistant to being pulled up.
One observant worker noticed the layering of soil and sand under the grass. The top part was darker brown and clearly the product of decomposing plant matter over a number of years, while the sand beneath remained a lighter inorganic shade. Very dramatic! However, it made the group’s job clearer – remove as much organic matter as possible and expose the sand to the surface rays of the sun. Backbreaking but rewarding work.
a lopper to tame their roots. Thank goodness for the wheelbarrow to transport the discarded plant matter into the woods where its decomposition would benefit the trees and wildlife.
All in all, a successful morning amidst beautiful scenery. Fresh air, a breeze to blow away the bugs, good company, plenty of exercise. And Pawtuckaway Lake looks good from every angle! 
On April 3, 2022, at the Town of Nottingham Community Center, the PLIA held 
an Aquatic Invasive Species Training. They called in experts and tapped their Program Chairs to offer free Community Workshops to anyone in Nottingham interested in protecting a local water body from invasive species. For those who were unable to attend or attendees who wish to review some of the materials presented, there are links in the article below to each Power Point presentation.
First: Member Therese Thompson provided instruction on identifying aquatic invasive species in or around a lake or pond. Her lecture was very comprehensive, covering both native and non-native plants. It included pointers on how to recognize and distinguish between both, which can sometime be a difficult challenge. She highlighted the invasive plants that have been found in and around Pawtuckaway. In particular, she urges everyone to pay special attention to the last slide in her show, that has links to resources to help with identifications: 
Lake Host Coordinator Dee Decker 
explained NH LAKES’ Lake Host Program and the PLIA’s participation in it. Her presentation included instruction on inspecting boats and trailers to detect invasive “hitchhikers” before they enter a water body, plus how to clean, drain, and dry watercraft to avoid the spread of these invaders. When the gathering moved outside, Lake Host Manager Mary
Hervey assisted Dee to demonstrate actual boat and trailer inspection protocols. They also offered advice about courtesy, efficiency, and education when talking to boaters about these inspections: 
Milfoil Team Chair Neil Santos demonstrated how milfoil has spread in
Pawtuckaway Lake since 2015. He explained why a milfoil infestation is harmful and how his team searches for and removes this weed, one of the most pervasive of the invasives. He reminded people to contact him, Dee Decker, or Steve Soreff if they saw a suspicious growth so it could be located and identified. There are two Power Point presentations that illustrate his talk: 
Last but not Least: Attendees enjoyed a complimentary pizza lunch and a selection of free T-shirts to take home.
On Sunday, September 26, the PLIA celebrated the accomplishments of its
volunteers at a cookout held at the Pawtuckaway State Park Pavilion. We are grateful to Park officials for making the Pavilion available for this event – a beautiful setting, a beautiful day, with beautiful people! Last year, COVID concerns prevented us from holding this annual celebration. That made us doubly lucky that we could gather once again in person to thank the folks who actually bring the PLIA’s mission to life.
As the saying goes, volunteers are unpaid not because they are worthless, but 
because they are priceless! For the PLIA, the important job of keeping the lake healthy and safe would be impossible without our tireless, and yes – enthusiastic – volunteers. Below are some of the things they do:
perform courtesy 
boat and trailer inspections
Pick up trash along a local roadside strip three times a year
Anyone can be a volunteer, in whatever capacity and however your schedule 
permits! If you would like to join this merry band, please contact our President Steve Soreff at 
that will take you to our payment site. You can choose the “friends and family” option with your PayPal account or use a credit card if you prefer.
Boating season always seems too short, but it is time to start thinking about the lowering of the lake this fall!
