Approximately 80 Crooked Lake Texas residents, family & friends, on an absolutely beautiful day, enjoyed the 2008 Crooked Lake Fun Day Picnic/Potluck, Saturday, July 26, 2008. The weather was ideal, the food was delicious, the magician was highly entertaining, the games were fun, the prizes were terrific, and the friendships were strengthened and renewed. There are many people to thank for helping with this year's event:
We must also thank the many sponsors and merchants who generously donated wonderful items for our raffle. Please remember to support these area merchants:
Please support and thank the merchants who contributed to our Crooked Lake Fun Day!
We knew life was good on Crooked Lake Texas, but now, based on this double-rainbow after a brief shower on July 28, 2008, we know that life is "golden" on Crooked Lake! Isn't Mother Nature beautiful?
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Have you paid your 2008 CLTA dues yet? Only $35.00/year per household. Your dues help our lake association in many ways. It goes toward expenses associated with newsletters, mailings, web site, Crooked Lake Fun Day and membership in the Michigan Lakes & Streams Association. To date, only 65 residents have sent in their dues this year, down from 91 at this time last year.
You can send your dues check payable to "Crooked Lake Texas Association" to CLTA Treasurer, 400 W. Crooked Lake Texas, Kalamazoo, MI 49009.
We hope you'll want to be a part of your lake community.
Last year, under the direction of Nancy Clark, we implemented a Purple Loosestrife Beetle Project on Crooked Lake Texas. The beetles, (raised by Vicksburg High School in conjunction with the Kalamazoo Nature Center), eat only Purple Loosestrife and have been successful in limiting the spread of this invasive plant in other wetland projects throughout Michigan. Thanks to voluntary donations, along with $250 from the Crooked Lake Texas Association, we were able to purchase a substantial number of plants bearing the beetles.
This year, again through donations and budgeted CLTA funds, we purchased another shipment of beetles. In the pictures below you will see evidence of what the beetles have done. Our thanks go out to Nancy for coordinating this effort and to all the lake residents who have contributed to this project.
| Bringing this year's batch of beetles to their new home. | Evidence that the beetles are doing their job. |
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| If you look closely, you can see one of the beetles | More proof of the beetle activity. |
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The Crooked Lake Market Boat Ramp underwent major repairs last year thanks to many voluntary contributions.
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We are extremely grateful for the donations sent in by many lake residents that made this project possible. We would like to make even more repairs to the ramp, especially extending the concrete out into the water to make it easier to put boats in and take them out. We are again seeking voluntary contributions that will go specifically to this project. You can send your contributions to CLTA Treasurer, 400 W. Crooked Lake Dr., Kalamazoo, MI 49009. Be sure to write "Boat Ramp" in the Memo section of the check to make sure it gets earmarked for this specific project.
Our thanks also go out to ramp owners Bruce & Joyce Weathers, and Tom & Sharon Rafferty, for allowing lake residents to use this ramp throughout the boating season. PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU CONTACT THE CROOKED LAKE MARKET IN ADVANCE TO OBTAIN PERMISSION TO LAUNCH YOUR BOATS!
Also, if your boat, or any boat that you know of has been in other lakes or waters, PLEASE make sure it is thoroughly cleaned to prevent any invasive species, like zebra mussels, from entering our lake. We need everyone's cooperation on this matter.
The CLTA held their Annual Meeting on Wednesday, May 21, 2008. Here are the main topics of discussion from the meeting:
The next CLTA Board Meeting will be held on Monday, June 16, 7:00 p.m. at the home of President Hackenberg.