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President’s Message 2024 Pam Wilkinson

Time to make changes to celebrate! Over the term of my presidency, people have asked how long have you been president? Shrugging my shoulders I didn’t calculate because it was pure joy and there was no need to count. As the years have ticked away, I find that it is time to step back and provide the organization with an opportunity for new blood, and refresh new ideas to engage our lake community. It is time to prepare for the future and change it up a bit to avoid becoming stagnant. I wanted to make sure that the transition went smoothly so the announcement was made two years ago that I would be stepping down enough time for the executive committee to make transition plans and create policies that would invite others to feel comfortable taking the president’s position with term structures and outline tasks. I separated the tasks of the presidency from the tasks of my involvement in the multiple committees I have been point person and delegated other tasks to the assistant so the executive committee could approach people with only the tasks of a president. The second step was finding volunteers who have interests in the various committees and see if they wanted to be the point person. Instead of one person heading several programs, have each program managed with an individual person. The committees are water quality, watershed, courtesy boat inspection, centennial, scholarship, historical, and milfoil committees; all these programs are near and dear to my heart knowing that efforts to make improvements meant making substantial improvements to Little Sebago Lake. Several people have come forward and agreed to take on as the contact person and not only that, taking on the program with full force, energy, and professionalism beyond expectations. You see, the divide and conquer provides that new blood carrying oxygen to the organization supporting our mission. I will always stay involved as these programs are my passion.

How we have changed from 100 years ago, how we have changed from 20 years ago. The variety of accomplishments that have advanced our mission is extraordinary- from fiduciary to environmental protection to lake safety to educational and to just having fun. It is time to celebrate this centennial year with lots of fun and educational lake activities our wonderful committee has planned for you. As time has ticked away, the gears of the well-adjusted clock have made such improvements and strides to make sure our future on the lake addresses all needs from safety to environment to having fun. We are so blessed to have our board of directors and committee members whose professionalism, care, and love of the lake have helped serve our mission. Nothing would have been possible without them. The gears of our organization work in unison and allow me to sing their praises. Some people have raised their hand to volunteer in so many appreciated ways which do not go unnoticed. So, how many years, you ask? If I am correct, it is 17 years as president, 32 years starting with LSLA in 1992 as a board member, 43 years loving Little Sebago Lake and this summer will be 73 years loving all our lakes. As I sing my swan song and transition, I look forward to sitting in the early morning, watching the lake unfold with my coffee and knowing all will be

okay for the next 100 years. So long but never goodbye, On behalf of the LSLA Board of Directors, Committee and Volunteers,

Pam Wilkinson LSLA President

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