"It is official," said President Dick Cazeault.  "IRS has accepted Webster Lake Association's application and approved us as a not-for-profit organization."

The provisional approval is official from August 14, 2002 thru June 30, 2007.

"During this period we must continually meet their standards to become permanent in 2007.  If we don't meet their requirements we could lose the provisional status anytime," added Cazeault. "In order to get non-profit status we had to agree to allow all members to vote. The Board of Directors approved the request to eliminate the two levels of membership: Voting and Associate members. All dues paying WLA members now have an equal vote," said Cazeault.

With the last of the winter ice gone from the top of the lake, WLA held their April 8th meeting at Point Breeze with a focus towards the environment and the history of Webster Lake.

"We are applying for a historical grant through the Quinebaug-Shetucket Heritage Corridor which will help to copy old documents about the lake making them accessible to the public," said Cazeault. The Board of Selectmen plus management of both the Chester C. Corbin Public Library and Bartlett High School have agreed to write letters of support for the project.

Several area schools would also like to work with WLA utilizing the lake as a year-round lab.  They presently send students to Maine during the summer on an environmental grant in conjunction with Nichols College.

"We are meeting with three Massachusetts companies regarding lake management proposals," said Environmental Committee chairman Bob Couture. "Geosyntec, Aquatic Control and Lycott are giving us presentations and proposals."

The major concerns to be addressed are:

1. Surveying, identification and mapping of aquatic vegetation creating a plan for future treatment of problem weeds;
2. Water quality assessment and testing of water samples from the lake as well as the tributaries such as Sucker and Brown Brooks; "We're also looking for available equipment to this testing ourselves on an ongoing basis," said Couture.
3. Watershed study to help understand what feeds Webster Lake as well as what water areas does the lake disperse to;
4. Storm water management ideas that would work along with the Town of Webster's mandated program to create a map of the sediment problems along with a plan that targets and reduces sediment.

"We need to add our muscle to the hundreds of Webster volunteers cleaning, beautifying and improving our community during the Keep America Beautiful's Great American Spring Cleanup," said Ernie Benoit, coordinator of the WLA's Earth Day activities. Ernie Benoit has represented the Point Breeze peninsula clean up for 30 years. His continuous efforts have resulted in dramatic improvements along the streets and in the woods.

"Without volunteers, this trash would have eventually landed in our lake," said Benoit. "It's time for residents of Webster to take action by cleaning, beautifying and improving their corner of the Earth."

Benoit is looking for captains and volunteers for each street around the lake to lead the effort for the 2003 Earth Day Clean Up on May 3, 2003.

Keep America Beautiful's Great American Cleanup is the nation's largest annual community, improvement program, held March through May. Led by Keep America Beautiful, Inc., the Great American Cleanup encourages Americans to participate in hands-on activities that dramatically improve their communities, creating healthier, cleaner and safer environments across the nation. Last year, nearly 2.3 million people volunteered for the Great American Cleanup. Activities included cleaning up waterways and seashores, picking up litter, planting trees, beautifying parks and conducting recycling collections.

Keep America Beautiful, Inc. is a national, nonprofit public education organization whose goal is to form community partnerships dedicated to engaging individuals to take greater responsibility for enhancing their community environments. In 2003, Keep America Beautiful celebrates its 50th anniversary.

"Yale Hirshberg, the Chairman of the Webster Recycling Commission, is also asking for help with donations of items or gift certificates that area business people could provide for prizes to the volunteers helping on May 3," said Benoit. They can be sent to: Yale Hirshberg, Chairman Webster Recycling Commission 48 Laurelwood Drive Webster, MA 01570

The Webster Recycling Commission's Earth Day Litter Cleanup will begin at 9:00 AM and run through Noon. Free trash bags and gloves will be provided.

Volunteers bag the roadside litter and the town will pick up the bags as well as larger discarded items.

"The town supplies trash bags and is willing to pick up anything," said Benoit.

Everyone who registers enters a drawing for prizes. Anyone interested in helping with Earth Day can register at Webster Town Hall from 9AM to 12 PM.