Keoka Lake                Association 

Events

September 18 at 11:00 am:  The Black Ghost - Understanding the Maine Black Bear hosted by the Waterford Library at the Wilkins House.

October 8 from 7-9:00 pm:  KLA Fall Board meeting at the Waterford Town Hall and via Zoom.

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Reminders

• Waterford Fall Foliage 5K Road Race, Fitness Walk & 1 Mile Fun Run has been cancelled for 2021.

2021 Annual Waterford Fall Foliage Race Cancelled

by Martha Eaton & Erin Grizone, Co-Race Directors

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The primary focus of the Waterford 5K Race committee is safety first. Due to the current spike in Covid 19 cases, our only option is to cancel the 2021 Waterford Fall Foliage Road Race, Walk, and Fun Run, which was to be held on October 10th, and return with renewed energy in 2022.  We waited to make the decision until now, as a great deal of planning goes into the race.

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We remain committed to giving out scholarships to all Waterford high school graduates who apply. We are grateful for all our loyal sponsors and friends. Your donations have helped make so many dreams possible. This year, any and all contributions to the Tony Waldeier Scholarship fund will be especially appreciated. To donate click here. 

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We thank each and every one of our runners, volunteers, sponsors, family, friends, and especially committee members who have ever helped to make this event possible. 

We will be back next year! In the meantime, we encourage families and friends to get together that day, go somewhere special, and take a walk in Tony’s memory.  Read more of the history of the race...
 

8th Annual Bud Lazott Regatta

and 2nd Annual Camp Cup

The day dawned clear and with winds already picking up.  Larry Griffin, John Wait, Greg Peterson, and Al Struck were out on the lake at 9:00 am placing the buoys for the afternoon race.  Since it is an open registration, we had no clear idea of how many boats would be in the fleet.  We did know that the three camps vying for the Camp Cup were fielding 13 boats.  We hoped that Fernwood Cove will rejoin us next year in the quest for the Cup. 

The registration desk was manned by Tom and Joann Aiello who have a place at Keoka Beach Campground.  We are so grateful to Chris Searles for allowing the Regatta to launch from the Keoka Beach Campground Beach.  Logistically, this has really helped make the Regatta doable.  The winds were blowing between 10 and 15mph.  The sailors had their boats tuned and ready to go.  Brenda Hambleton captained the Committee boat with able assistance from Doss and Riley Hassan. 

Twenty boats composed the fleet leaping forward at the opening horn as they surged toward the first mark just shy of Rock Island.  Unfortunately, the flags on each of the markers could not withstand the winds and disintegrated before the race began.  The safety boat manned by Dodi and John Wait and Steve Dosh pressed folks into service to help the sailors see where the turns were located.  Sailing was spirited with competitive contact at buoys.  The wind upset several boats and the lead was exchanged a few times in the various classes.  Riley Hassan dove into the water to get an accurate account of the finish.  Right to the end the outcome was a toss-up.  The winners were exhilarated when they found themselves crossing the finish line first.

Once the results were confirmed the awards were presented to the winners on the beach at the Keoka Beach Campground.       The Camp Cup was won by Birch Rock this year wresting it from Camp Wigwam.  A young man named Teddy was the first camper to cross the finish line winning the cup and coming in first in the Camp Laser Class.  Nate, also from Birch Rock took first place in the Sunfish Class.   The Catamaran Class was won by a young lady named Sterla, from Camp Waziyatah, who had just learned to sail that previous Tuesday!  The Bud Lazott Memorial Regatta was won by Glen Haberbush in the Laser class and Daniel Frey in the Open Class. 

Many thanks to all those who helped make this first post-COVID Regatta a success.  We hope to see you and many more boats return next year.

Pictures of this year and other years can be seen in the Regatta Photo Gallery.

1st Annual KLA Photo Contest

We are kicking off the first KLA Photo Contest.  Prizes for adults and youth (18 and under) will be given in the following categories:

• Our beautiful lake:  Photos showing off the beauty of Keoka Lake and the watershed area.

• Our community:  People and pets enjoying the lake.

• Wildlife:  The flora and fauna in and around the lake - taking care not to disturb them!

Email your photos to  keokalakeassoc@gmail.com with your name, age, location of the photo, and your title for the photo.  Submissions will be displayed in the newsletter, social media, and on the KLA website.  Prizes will be awarded Labor Day Weekend.

The Eagles are Flying

The three baby eagles on Keoka have taken flight.  In Maine, that happens about 11 to 13 weeks after hatching.  They can be seen, and heard, as they practice flying over Keoka.  Read more about eagles here.

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Thanks to Cindy Kimball for the great photo (submitted for the 2021 KLA photo contest).

Win a Book & Learn About Protecting Our Lake

Two educational opportunities in one: learn the history of Keoka Lake AND best practices for protecting it. Here’s how it works:

1. Sign up for a LakeSmart evaluation of your property by contacting Ginger Eaton, KLA’s LakeSmart Coordinator: gingereaton@comcast.net.  Deadline for entering is August 31, 2021.

2. You will be entered in a raffle for a free copy of this 400-page community-sourced labor of love, filled with stories and photos and historical tidbits you never knew…

3. You will be contacted to schedule your LakeSmart evaluation. Our team (Ginger, Doss Hasson, and Priscilla Treadwell) will visit and provide feedback on things you can do to make your property as lake-friendly as possible.

4. AND, if you are the raffle winner, we will deliver the book when we visit!

For more about the LakeSmart program sponsored by Maine Lakes, see https://www.lakes.me/lakesmart or here.
 

KLA50 Quilt Raffle

This beautiful, queen-size quilt shows the seasons we enjoy on Keoka Lake.  It is being raffled off with the proceeds going to support our 50th anniversary events.  Click for the flyer describing the raffle and tickets that can be sent in along with your check.

Dam Signs & Buoys

Andy Tabor installed three dam warning signs, the dam buoy, and float lines.  He also removed the loon nest and loon nest warning buoys.  We are hoping for better loon luck next year.  Read more about our dam here.

KLA Annual Meeting 

After a year of Zooming, the KLA Annual Meeting was held in-person outside of the Wilkins House.  Read the minutes of the meeting here.

About

Keoka Lake Association (KLA) is a volunteer organization supported by those who love Keoka Lake, whether they be landowners along its shores, citizens/taxpayers in Waterford who use and treasure the lake or some for whom Keoka Lake holds a special place In their hearts. 

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KLA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Why?

KLA is committed to keeping our lake beautiful for generations to come.  We need your help to educate and engage all who have the chance to enjoy it through programs, communication, and activities on water quality, wildlife, and invasives.

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Get Involved

Supported primarily by member dues, KLA is committed to maintaining the health and safety of Keoka Lake, especially in the face of the threat of invasives, both flora and fauna, and naturally-occurring and man-made environmental threats.  Join us and become a member and a volunteer. 

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