We want to welcome Keith Kankel to the Executive Board as our new Treasurer. We thank Marv Dolph for his excellent job for the past seven plus year and also thank him for the assistance he is giving to help Keith get accustomed to our books.

We thank all those that have already donated for next years mosquito spraying. Some have asked why we requested a $25 donation now, rather than the $20 to $25 we had previously requested. I thought a little clarification, in the form of history, may help show why the apparent increase. During years 2000 and 2001 we needed only one and two sprays. We had collected in 1999, but a delay in spraying occurred because of "discussions" at the advisor’s meeting. By then the sprayers were busy with crop-dusting. Therefore we went into 2002 with a reserve that was less than enough for 1 spray, but we ultimately had 2 ½ sprays before the Annual Picnic. The predictions had been correct that we would have an influx of mosquitoes in 2002 and the predictions are at least as bad for 2003. We therefore budgeted for 3 sprays in 2003, meaning that, with no reserve at this point, we would need to collect the full amount to cover the expected sprayings.

You may have noticed in the Labor Day newsletter that there was a call for more participation in the 2003 Flotilla. We would like to have more residents, full time or summer, enjoy the fun of the Flotilla both in the boats and on the shore. If you have any comments or suggestions on how to improve the flotilla, please let me know.

We are in hopes that the Secchi Disk readings will continue to show improved clarity in the future. The fecal coliform testing is planned to be increased to about twice as many points around the Lake and to be done 3 times next year.

The petitions for the WasteWater Collection/Treatment System for Baldwin Lake, as well as Long/Coverdale, Indiana, Birch, and Shavehead Lakes are still being carried thru those neighborhoods, for the signatures of those in favor of the system now. The process is taking much longer than was first thought but the results are very good, just slower in coming. This is hoped to ultimately help the Township Board of Trustees decide the ratio of landowners (and their acreage) for the system. The one thing that has been made clear is that delaying it until we are "forced" to do it would definitely increase the cost drastically.

Association meetings are scheduled for the 3rd Monday of the month at 7:00 P.M. (IN) at the Porter Township building, just north of the Fire Station on Baldwin Prairie Street. Although the voting needs to be channeled thru your Advisor, we appreciate the discussion and ideas from all members to be sure that we are handling things the way you wish it to be. Remember that this is YOUR Lake Association!

We want everyone to know that the officers and advisors always welcome your suggestions and comments. Those can be given by E-mail to baldwin-lake-366@mlswa.org or by phone.

H.C. Scot Billings

BLA President

A big thank you must be said to all who helped clean our roads last month. The effort we are sure is appreciated by the whole lake community. We hope we can count on all to help again next spring.

There isn’t much news on the many issues involving our lake. The matter of Willow Shores and the DEQ has not been resolved and a court date has been set for early November to hear arguments and evidence pertaining to this matter. We will keep you informed as to any resolution or solution in this matter.

We are not as large a community as New York or Chicago, and we don’t have a Rockefeller Plaza, but we have a Christmas tree and we would like the community to help decorate it! Our tree is located at the corner of Sunset and Pleasant, on the Mills Grocery property. You are invited to join us for a tree lighting ceremony and caroling on Saturday November 30, (Sat after thanksgiving) at 5:00 PM. Children are invited, too. In fact, candy canes will be given out to all children who bring an ornament for the tree! Please plan to attend, as this will be an excellent way to kick off the holiday season and hopefully start a new tradition here in Union.

Trim roses back December 1st to 10"...you want to wait until then so all the sap returns to the roots. This will enable the roses to be stronger in the spring. Don’t cut climbers unless they get too long.

Don’t’ cut back your ornamental grasses until spring. The foliage helps insulate the crown of the plant, so continue to enjoy their dramatic display all winter.

This fall and winter, do not forget to continue to turn your compost pile every 3 weeks; this adds oxygen so the bacteria will continue to work to break down the organic matter.

The humming birds are gone, the feeders cleaned and stored and winter feeders are up and filled. Now if any of you have information on keeping the squirrels out of them, I’d be very grateful. We seem to have a colony of them here, and as many as four at a time fan be spotted in the feeders in spite of the fact that we have spread seed on the deck and do not run them off unless they actually get into the feeders. Then there is no room for the birds, and the cost of feeding jumps on a daily basis. We plugged in the heated water dish and am crossing my fingers that the blue birds will be back this winter. One sure sign of winter arrived today—we had two juncos show up. They are an infallible sign that snow is coming and soon.

Haven’t seen any on the migrating ducks that usually ate here for a day or two on their migration south. One morning last week, I woke to see what seemed to be three hundred geese on the lake. Throughout the morning they took off in groups and I haven’t seen any since.

Luella Hine called to say she was watching five swans just off the shore next to the road end. They appear to be two full grown parents and three almost adults. They seem to be hanging out on Little Baldwin and near the sandbar. We need to be sure that when the lake freezes they go to open water.

Suet will help a lot of the birds get through the winter, but make sure to put it where the coons can’t get it.

I recently experienced another benefit of membership in the Baldwin Lake Association. If it weren’t for the Association, I never would have come to know all of the great people who came to our support when Jack died so suddenly. People like the Erbe’s, the Henke’s, the Morris’, the Sicko’s, Alice Ann Troy, and so many others that if I continue, I know I will leave out more than those I can list.

On Hilltop Road, we used to have a "take back the lake" party just after Labor Day so that we at least knew by face and/or name those who lived here. But folks on the other roads around the area were still just strangers until we began to meet to create an association to preserve and protect this wonderful ara in which we live. Now we have activities that allow us to get to know each other-road cleanups, Christmas dinner dances, annual meetings and picnics, advisors, newsletters, neighborhood watch programs. It is unfortunate that more of our residents do not take the opportunities we have to get to know all these folks who are really our neighbors even if they live on the far side of the lake. There are many wonderful generous, funny and fun-loving folks all around us. Together we can and will keep this area a prime place to live, to play and to protect.

My heartfelt gratitude to each and every on of you for making life here the joy that it is.

Coe Strain

above pocket