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An annual event, the dinner took place on the evening of Saturday, Nov. 14, at the Keys Club in Clearlake Oaks.
“While volunteers have always played a key role in maintaining our waterways and equipment, this year’s volunteer effort has been truly extraordinary,” said Clearlake Keys Board President Jack Wadhams.
“This year, our volunteers handled major mechanical issues with the harvester, spray boats and vehicles, and they tackled 2009’s historic algae infestation with determination and creativity,” Wadhams said. “We owe them a lot.”
Without the intense volunteer effort put forth this year, the neighborhood association would have faced outside vendor costs exceeding $200,000, he said.
“The volunteer participation in the Keys is an example of how the positive energy of ordinary people can dramatically improve the quality of life in a community,” said District 3 Supervisor Denise Rushing, who was present at the volunteer dinner.
Honored during the dinner were more than 70 volunteers, who provided more than 6,000 hours of their time throughout the year.
Workers of all ages and backgrounds installed conveyors and decks, repaired motors and hydraulic lines, and did innumerable other important tasks to maintain the association’s fleet of vehicles and watercraft.
Managing the aquatic nightmare of Lyngbya algae was the most urgent priority this year. Volunteer teams with no experience with this strain of algae quickly educated themselves and worked tirelessly to try to break up and move the mats.
Volunteers and POA board members worked closely with the Lake County Water Resources Division as well as with outside contractors to find solutions to the problem.
Keys volunteers joined with others throughout Lake County to develop innovative ways to deal with the algae.
“We learned a lot this year, and we learned it in a hurry,” said Dennis Locke, a Keys volunteer who devoted many weeks of his time to the algae problem. “I am confident that if we’re hit with this type of algae bloom in the future, the experience we’ve gained will make it much easier to address it.”
“I am proud of how well our community rose to the occasion this year,” says POA Treasurer Dennis Krentz. “Even though the costs of dealing with the algae emergency were substantial, the thousands of hours put in by our volunteers meant that we were able to deal with this situation without implementing a special assessment. This community truly has a ‘can-do’ attitude. We’re delighted to be able to honor our volunteers with this special dinner.”
The event also was an opportunity to recognize others who contributed to the Keys’ well being during 2009.
A special award of appreciation was presented to Jim Jonas of Jonas Oil, for the generous donation of thousands of dollars’ worth of fuel for Keys vehicles and watercrafts.
The POA also gratefully acknowledged Aquatic Environments for donating services and equipment, and BioSafe Systems for providing the algaecide used for an algae control test.
During the dinner, volunteers received awards that were provided to the POA at no cost by local merchants and organizations.
“We encourage everyone to patronize these generous Lake County businesses,” said Krentz.
Volunteer dinner award donors include Big Oak Beacon, Camille Gouldberg Massage, Classic Cut-Ups, Firehouse Pizza, Happy Garden Restaurant, Karl’s Korner, Kathy’s Head Over Heels, Lake County Winery Association and the Red and White Market.
The Clearlake Keys Property Owners Association (POA) is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to the preservation and improvement of the quality of life In the Clearlake Keys. It is an all volunteer organization. The POA serves the property owners of the community of Clearlake Oaks, California, who reside in an area known as “The Keys.”
A subdivision built during the 1960s and 1970s, the Keys is unique for having canals behind the homes that provide access to Clear Lake, California’s largest natural lake.
To learn more about the Keys POA, visit their website at www.keyspoa.net .
