The Standard of Gratitude
Mike Miller, VP Lake Lotawana Homeowners Association
Fall officially began on September 22nd this year. The first day of winter will be December 21st. For me, the change from Daylight Savings to Standard time always serves as a line of demarcation from summer to fall and winter. Supposedly we get an hour more of sleep when we fall back. It always seems to take about two or three weeks for my internal clock to adjust. That extra hour doesn’t really seem to matter with the possible exception of being really early for church that Sunday! Now, when 5pm arrives and it’s getting dark, I long for those summer evenings when the sunlight stretches well past nine o’clock. Shorter days means longer nights and cooler temps. Longer nights mean a lot of time to think and enjoy family, friends, and activities you may not do in the summer. And of course, there is a lot of time to read the creative and informative articles in this fine publication!
As you know, most of the coverage of Patrolling the Pond is oriented toward on-the-water activities, rules and regulations, and some of the finer details around safely operating watercraft on the lake. I like to take an angle that focuses on safety. To me, one of best ways to protect and enjoy our greatest assets is to respect it, respect others, and respect the rules that keep it safe. Of course I always enjoy venturing off that information path and provide stories of interest and how the lake works behind the scenes. There is so much that has to happen to make our lake work it’s really like running a small town…then add a lake. Five years ago I didn’t really have a picture of that until I chose to get involved. My eyes are now wide open, and I like to share what I see with you so you can also have an appreciation for how this community comes to together to make it all work. Finally, it’s also interesting to write about some of the Lake traditions, the personalities, local businesses, and other topics that add to the folklore of Lake Lotawana and the stories that make it special. Now that on-the-water activities are slowing for the season, here are some of the topics I plan on sharing over the next few months:
- Interviews with the chairman of different Board committees.
- Conversations with local business owners.
- An interview with Jeff Clemow.
- How safety and water patrol is handled at nearby lakes.
- Training and tips on boating skills (like how to NOT plow, best ways to dock, best knots).
- Interviews with various club members and opportunities to engage in the community.
There will be more. How does this all relate to the primary goal of Patrolling the Pond? The more we know about each other and get to know each other the more likely we are to respect each other. With respect comes safety. Respect on the water isn’t just about respecting the water; it’s about respecting everyone on the water. I think you will enjoy the stories to come.
As I write this article the Membership has just approved the 2026 budget and Thanksgiving is just around the corner. We have accomplished a lot as a community and Board in 2025, and I am grateful to have had the chance to be part of it. A short list of accomplishments for the year that Jeff Clemow shared at the Budget meeting included:
- Completion of the west side paving project and several culvert reconstructions.
- Progress and near completion of the new low water crossing bridge inside Gate 3.
- Construction of a new operations building and Water Safety office.
- Completing the cleanout of Silt Pond #3 and a completed study of the rest of the lake for dredging with a 10-year plan soon to be completed.
- A plan to deal with the water weeds and water quality for 2026.
- Establishment of a butterfly and bird sanctuary.
This is just a short list of accomplishments beyond the everyday maintenance activities. There is nothing stagnant about managing a lake community. With Thanksgiving in our sights, I am very thankful for those who give their time and effort across all of our volunteer communities and for our staff. From those who serve on the Board and the multiple committees, to the various clubs, and special events coordinators, to the staff that does serves, there is much to be thankful for this year and moving into 2026. What are you grateful for this year?
Like most of you, I will be spending Thanksgiving with family and friends. We always host Thanksgiving dinner and provide the turkeys, ham, and other local favorite meat selections. Everyone else fills in the sides. It’s one of my favorite holidays of the year. This year I am calculating how it all works with a Chief’s game thrown into the middle of dinner. First world problems right? I hope you too can take the chance to give thanks for everything you have in life. It’s easy to take life for granted as we get stuck in the busyness of the everyday. Thanksgiving gives us all a chance to take a timeout and reflect on our blessings. Usually when we think of what we are grateful for it’s the simple things like family, faith, friends, and health that rise to the top. Often we don’t even realize how grateful we are for something or someone until they are not there. That may very well why we can be grateful for the shorter days of fall and winter. It may be Standard time, but nothing is really ever standard in life. In fact, the purpose of standard time may very well be that it gives us greater appreciation for the longer, warmer days of summer that are certain to come.
Until next time, have a Happy Thanksgiving and see you around the Pond!
The Safer Seven Quiz is grateful for ALL of our readers and is taking this week off. Safer Seven will be back in the next issue!