Stan Rastallis sampling with DES Biologist Sara Steiner and Intern Kristin Duclos

Stanley Rastallis

What lake or pond do you monitor?  Crescent lake, Acworth and Unity

How long have you been monitoring this waterbody and/or volunteering with VLAP?

Started in 1993 on this lake.

Background: Tell us about yourself: occupation/former occupation, how long have you lived (seasonally or year-round) on the lake?  What are your interests? 

I majored in forestry at Stockbridge, U of Massachusetts.  Worked as forester, as well as surveying.  I made maple syrup and limited agriculture in North Newport.  Long interest in soil and water conservation and served one term on the state conservation committee, I served on the statewide 208 committee at DES.  We have lived on Crescent Lake since 1992.  Growing up in western Massachusetts I spent most of my time out of doors and near water.  It irritated me that some was unusable because of pollution.  I presently am chair of Unity conservation commission and represent Agriculture on the Water Council at DES.

What motivated you to start volunteering with VLAP? 

 I knew some of the participants and it was a natural interest.

How many other volunteers assist you with monitoring activities? 

Tim Perry, Mark Wilson, Susan Paton (Chair, Acworth Conservation Commission) Bob Kroupa , and Jim How

What do you feel is the main threat to your lake or pond, or what is/are your biggest concerns?

The biggest concern now is the introduction of exotic weeds.  Long term it would be development in the watershed immediate to the lake.  Presently no salt is used on the roads and development is limited.

How have the data you have collected assisted your lake, pond or community?

The data we collect is immediately transmitted to the two towns and the lake community.  If a threat is noted it is immediately taken care of.  We are constantly educating our lake community.

What has been your greatest achievement through VLAP?

Maintaining a clean lake.

What are your fondest memories about your lake or pond?

The friendship of those we work with and the dedication of these people to perfect the sampling process.  We enjoy our three sampling sessions and occasional additional “event” sample.

What is your fondest memory of volunteer monitoring?

No one event stands out but I do remember one time when we got an inch of rain while we sampled.  Data stayed dry but nobody else did.

 Boo Gershun and Don Thompson

Waukewan Lake, Meredith

Boo Gershun and Don Thompson sampling the lake.

What lake or pond do you monitor?   Lake Waukewan, Meredith  

How long have you been monitoring this waterbody and/or volunteering with VLAP? 17 years   

Background: Tell us about yourself: occupation/former occupation, how long have you lived (seasonally or year-round) on the lake?  What are your interests?  

Boo is retired from the software industry, and has spent the past 25 years enjoying summers at the lake with her partner Neil and their dog(s).  Don and his family used to share Boo’s lake house until he bought a house on the same street in 2000 and spent the next two years rebuilding it.  Now Boo and Neil, Don and his family, and all the dogs enjoy having lots of space, lots of boats, lots of toys, and lots of fun on Lake Waukewan all summer long.  

What motivated you to start volunteering with VLAP?  

Sadly, the person who did the water testing before us passed away so someone asked us if we would be willing to take over the volunteer job.  Gladly, we said yes.  

How many other volunteers assist you with monitoring activities?   

Our usual assistants are Chaos and Pele, our dogs.  They love to test the clean cold water from the deepest part of the lake to make sure it tastes good.  

What do you feel is the main threat to your lake or pond, or what is/are your biggest concerns?   

Recently we went through a long process of determining the best lake level for Waukewan. We are very concerned that if they continue to dictate a lower level, many parts of the lake (including the canal where we live, other inlets and coves, and the public boat ramp) will be unusable.  

How has the data you have collected assisted your lake, pond or community?  

The data from water testing for our lake has been entered into a database by one of the shoreowners’ association members.  From this we are able to see that the lake has remained healthy for the past several decades, and that in general there have been very few changes in our water quality.  

What has been your greatest achievement through VLAP?  

We love assisting DES and our lake by doing the water testing for VLAP.  We are happy to be able to contribute to this important program and hope it will continue to operate for many years to come.  

What are your fondest memories about your lake or pond?  

The endless days spent out on the boat — waterskiing, wakeboarding, and airchairing with all our friends, and teaching the kids to love watersports as much as we do.  

What is your fondest memory of volunteer monitoring?  

When we got our new boat that has a depth-finder, so we can find the deep spots without having to drive around aimlessly trying to locate the right place by dropping the tube multiple times!

 Gail Colozzi and Bob Greene

What lake or pond do you monitor?   Bearcamp Pond in Sandwich

How long have you been monitoring this waterbody and/or volunteering with VLAP?

We think it will be 11 years this summer.

Background: Tell us about yourself: occupation/former occupation, how long have you lived (seasonally or year-round) on the lake?  What are your interests?

We’ve lived on Bearcamp for 31 years – Bob manages a credit union, Gail is a behavioral consultant for children with developmental disabilities.  Our interests – nature and birding, climbing the 4,000 footers in NH, music…

What motivated you to start volunteering with VLAP? 

Gail participated in a weed watch training and helped the previous volunteer monitors, who started in 1985 with sampling, after which, they asked if she’d take on the task the following year.  For the first couple of years either our daughters or Bob helped Gail with the testing; since then Bob and Gail have done it together.

How many other volunteers assist you with monitoring activities?   

It’s just been the two of us; but we especially enjoy the annual testing with the biologist – it’s so enjoyable to meet and speak with the interns and staff, plus each year, we learn new information about water quality, ecosystems, and protecting the natural environment.

What do you feel is the main threat to your lake or pond, or what is/are your biggest concerns?

The sustainability and the ability to always monitor that sustainability, of the pond and its surrounding ecosystem, especially, given the continuing threats of global warming, other local environmental impacts, and state funding issues.

How has the data you have collected assisted your lake, pond or community?

It’s provided information about the safety of this pond and the surrounding area, as an ecosystem with regard to the well-being of wildlife and human activity.  So, when concerns are raised about milfoil or E. coli or giardia, we have scientific methods for addressing them.

What has been your greatest achievement through VLAP? 

Knowledge – knowing that Bearcamp is enduring; staying healthy over the past 26 or so years, knowing that VLAP provides resources to maintain that health and address any problems that might arise, knowing ways that we can help to maintain that health.

What are your fondest memories about your lake or pond?

Our relationship with the pond over the past 31 years has been like one ongoing, multi-layered cherished memory – and privilege – of witnessing, the beauty of the pond and all its life thrive throughout the different seasons.  Our kids grew up on the pond and it’s a treasured place for them also.

What is your fondest memory of volunteer monitoring?

The time we canoed all the way to commence testing at the deep spot, only to find that we’d forgotten to take the  messenger for the Kemmerer bottle and had to row all the way back to shore and out again, on one of the most windy days of the season!