Jerry Hale

Jerry writes about leisure activities at the lake in his monthly column.

Recent columns

• Recipe for safe boating in 2008
• Getting your waterfront ready for the season
• Little league for adults
• The Roanoke boat show: Why bother?

May 3 is the day for SML residents and other lake users to show their affection for this beautiful body of water we are so fortunate to enjoy.

The annual Take Pride in Smith Mountain Lake Cleanup Day is designed to help rid the lake of dangerous and unsightly debris that has collected in the water and along the shorelines during winter.

Now in its 21st year, the event has become an important tradition at Smith Mountain Lake. Beth and Chuck Hoover were among those who organized the first volunteer cleanup back in 1987. It's grown into an annual occasion for hundreds of lakers to band together for a cause everyone can support: making SML safer and more appealing to all residents and visitors.

Sure, there are those who believe that keeping the lake debris-free should be AEP's responsibility. Some seem to feel put-upon when asked to clean up mess from "those people" upstream who allow their trash to be swept into the watershed. But few would deny that removing more than 70 tons (72 last year) of boards, bottles, logs, limbs and other trash -- and keeping it from becoming a hazard to boaters and an unsightly smudge on the shorelines all summer long -- is a good thing.

For the third consecutive year, Larry Iceman of Fox Chase is chairing the Take Pride Planning Committee, along with co-chair Roy Enslow of Bridgewater Marina. Representatives from the Tri-County Lake Administrative Commision(TLAC), Smith Mountain Lake Association and the SML Chamber of Commerce are committee members, along with several other at-large volunteers.

Larry's wife, Beatrice, handles publicity for the event -- also her third year in that role.

"We know it's a really worthwhile endeavor," said Beatrice. "It's very satisfying to see how much better the lake looks after the volunteers have done their thing."

Emphasis this year will be on achieving broader neighborhood and organization participation than in years past.

"We're encouraging more neighborhood groups to turn out in force to tidy up their own shores and then head up-river to help where debris concentrations are heaviest," said Iceman. "And there's plenty of room for more lake organizations to get involved as well."

Some already have acted on that suggestion.

"Helping with lake cleanup is mandatory for members of the Wake N Skate Team," said Eric Gerner, team captain and shop manager. "We'll be out on a couple of pontoon boats that Saturday, fishing out the heavy stuff. It's one way we can give back to the lake that makes it possible for us to do what we love."

Other groups -- the Smith Mountain Striper Club, Moneta Lions, SML Lions, SML Rotary and Admiral's Landing Homeowners among them -- have signed on to help with the unloading at collection points, according to Bill Timmons, who's in charge of volunteers. The location of those sites, an expected nine to 10 this year, will be published before the event.

Enslow is working with other SML boat-rental operators to have several rental boats available, free of charge (operators must reimburse for gas and oil used, however) for the lake cleanup day.

"This will help groups that don't live on the lake or have a suitable boat to use," he explained. You can check for availabilities by calling the SML Visitor Center at 721-1203. Boat owners also can request a protective tarp when they register their cleanup group; it'll be waiting when they pick up their participant packets.

An experience in The Oaks and Morningwood near B26 is an example of why a bit of forethought can significantly increase participation and make Cleanup Day a look-forward-to occasion -- a "rite of spring" to open the season for those of us lucky enough to live at SML. That's why I'm writing about it now; prior notice will give you and your neighbors plenty of time to embrace the concept.

What I'm suggesting is a neighborhood "take pride" gathering as an impetus for people to commit some time to this worthwhile endeavor.

All that's needed is for someone in each lake-area neighborhood to take the initiative to contact their neighbors, find out who's willing to join in and register your crowd by taking or sending the pre-registration from to the Smith Mountain Lake Association office (behind Mei's Chinese Restaurant). Then pick up goodie bags for your participants, beginning April 29.

A couple years ago, we began inviting Roanoke-based neighbors who had not previously heard much about the event. They were delighted to be included and pitched in with vigor and a real sense of contribution. Plus they reconnected with their SML neighbors after the winter hiatus.

My neighborhood has found that a breakfast gathering is good for several reasons: It gets people out and about at a reasonable hour; it is a great place to distribute the participant bags; it's a natural way to divide the workforce into crews for the available boats or shoreline crews; and it's a good time to remind people to wear PFDs and take extra care not to let their "attack-the-debris" zeal lead to injury of any kind. (Look for a flier from the SML YMCA in this year's packet with some suggested reaching and stretching warm-up exercises).

Other groups opt to grill burgers or have a potluck later in the day.

Your gathering does not have to be elaborate, time-consuming entertaining. Ask each participant to bring a favorite dish. The host home could suppy beverages, paper plates, plastic forks and a place to gather. Hold it on the deck or dock, and you don't even have to clean house.

Let's all do our part. You can be the one to start the Cleanup-Day party tradition in your neighborhood. If there's already one going, then pitch in and make sure it lives by taking the party-planning initiative.

RECREATION

RECREATION