Left to Right: George Kydd, Bob Soyett, Joanne Soyett, Suzanne Chmielewski, Walt Munsterman, Terry Polfuss, Karen Sherper Rohs. Not pictured: Don Gilbert, Gayle Gilbert, Carolyn Carringer.

Karen Sherper Rohs, Regional Extension Educator

The Shoreland Volunteer Excellence Award for 2002 was given to a group from the Briggs Lake Chain Association. Many of these individuals participated in the pilot Unsewered Community Education Program (UCEP) during the summer of 2000 with Ken Olson and Doug Malchow of the University of Minnesota Extension Service. Mark Basiletti of the Sherburne Soil and Water Conservation District acted as the group’s local facilitator. The training involved many sessions and considerable individual and team effort between meetings. At the conclusion of the program, some of these UCEP participants and a few additional active members of the Briggs Lake Chain Association formed a team to sur vey lakeshore property owners about their septic systems. They also researched and compared septic options. This Briggs Lakes Association Alternate Septic Systems (BLASS) team completed their initial goals in April of 2002. If the Briggs Chain Lake Association decides to pursue septic issues, the BLASS team completed groundwork that will permit the process to move forward quickly and with better information. This group is recognized not only for their hard work, but also the teamwork they demonstrated and the impact they have had on their community. UCEP team members include: Don Gilbert, Gayle Gilbert, Joanne Soyett, George Kydd, Suzanne Chmielewski, Walt Munsterman, Carolyn Carringer. BLASS: Terry Polfuss, Bob Soyett, Joanne Soyett, Suzanne Chmielewski, George Kydd, Gayle Gilbert, Don Gilbert.

Tom Hammer, Shoreland Volunteer on Ann Lake in Wright County, received the 2002 Shoreland Volunteer Leadership Award. Tom has led efforts to restore shoreland, improve septic compliance, place wood duck ho uses, and to secure technical assistance and cooperation in improving Ann Lake’s water quality. He has also formed a loose coalition of southern Wright County lake associations, stressing goal-oriented programs and building good communication within the entire watershed community. Tom has been an avid booster of the Shoreland Volunteer Program; his encouragement and enthusiasm has prompted several other Wright County citizens to become Shoreland Volunteers. He is highly regarded by his neighbors and co-volunteers for his dedication, kindness, leadership, and perseverance.

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