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Lauderdale Lakes BREEZE Summer 2016 • Second Edition
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Improvement association celebrates 110 years Group still going strong, continues to provide for members
BY
Kellen Olshefski
STAFF WRITER
The Lauderdale Lakes Improvement Association celebrated its 110th anniversary June 11 at Lutherdale Ministries; and after 110 years, the group still strives to accomplish what it set out to do from the start. “To encourage and assist in the general work of protecting, improving and adorning Lauderdale Lakes and the banks and shores,” LLIA Vice President Debbie Ferrari said. That phrase served as the association’s original mission when it was formed 110 years ago and has stood the test of time. “That, even today, remains as a part of our by-laws as what our objective, goal, mission is as the Lauderdale Lakes Improvement Association,” she said. Ferrari said the LLIA was originally first formed in 1902 and became incorporated 110 years ago in 1906. According to Ferrari, the association was originally formed to address some concerns around the three lakes that make up the Lauderdale Lakes chain. Ferrari said one of the first major items the group tackled was the removal of some stumps that blocked the then narrow channels between the lakes, preventing boats from maneuvering from lake to lake. She said in the early days, the group also focused on dragging weeds from the lake, using teams of horses, and stocking fish. “They wanted to get people together to address that,” she said. “It was groups of people saying we need to come together to address some of the issues and help improve the lake.” Over the years, Ferrari said the association had a profound effect on the lakes, taking on numerous responsibilities such as monitoring water levels, maintaining and repairing the dam, weed harvesting and fish stocking. As the association continued to mature over the years, other organizations were, in a sense, born out of it. Ferrari said in the early 1990s, the Lauderdale Lakes Lake Management District was established by some residents who were active in the association. With the creation of the district, a taxing entity, responsibilities that benefited all residents of the lake – not just members of the LLIA – were shifted over to the district. “Things like the dam, weed harvesting and water patrol, those are all a part of the lakedistrict now,” she said. Ferrari said another organization kind of born out of the LLIA that now not only benefits Lauderdale Lakes,
KELLEN OLSHEFSKI Lauderdale Lakes Breeze
Members of the Lauderdale Lakes Improvement Association who helped to pull together the 110th anniversary celebration for the group (top photo, from left) Jackie Rumer, Jane Larsen, Jim Dion and Floyd Pochowski gather for a quick photo in between greeting association members as they arrive. Courtney Rumer (above, on right) has her face painted by Margi Kanter of Making Faces Chicago at the June 11 event held at Lutherdale Ministries north of Elkhorn. Autumn Boswell (right) learns how to properly tie off a boat to a dock from members of the Lauderdale Lakes Yacht Club at the association’s celebration. The Yacht Club was just one of several different organizations represented at the event, including the Kettle Moraine Land Trust, the Lauderdale Lakes Management District, the Lauderdale-La Grange Fire Department and Lefty’s Hot Dogs stand, which provided food for the event.
but numerous sites around the county, was the Lauderdale Lakes Conservancy. The conservancy was originally started as a not-for-profit organization to accept the donation of the Petersen Island Woods Preserve, recently named such by the group after its founder. “The conservancy really kind of took off and is now called the Kettle Moraine Land Trust,” she said. “It started that way and has since expanded and includes a lot more properties, really
typically made from trees that have been cut down by members and also from wood Purpose in today’s world gathered when work is done In 2016, Ferrari said one of to clean up trees that have the LLIA’s most obvious roles fallen naturally on the Petersen is its work with the DNR, Island Woods Preserve. organizing, coordinating and Ferrari said the association financially supporting fish also continues to check the stocking for Lauderdale Lakes. water, as it has for many In addition, Ferrari said years, including things such as the association works closely water clarity, oxygen levels, with the DNR to improve the temperature, chemical analysis habitat for fish, specifically and more. through constructing and “Again, that’s working with placing cribs in the lake. See LLIA • Page 2 Ferrari said the cribs are
working within a much larger portion of Walworth County.”
Lauderdale Lakes BREEZE
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