To the editor:

On Saturday, Aug. 9, the Friends of Moody Pond held its sixth annual Ice Cream Social and concluded its sixth annual online auction fundraiser. We’d like to thank the many individuals and local businesses who participated in making these events a success. Our online auction raised over $4,500. We are filled with gratitude that so many of you continue to support our effort to remove the aquatic invasive species, Eurasian watermilfoil, and keep Moody Pond sparkling for generations to come.

Thank you to Stewart’s Shops and Donnelly’s for donating ice cream and Mountain Mist for the ice cream vouchers; Lisa and Klaus Meissner of Rustic Riders and local guitarist Christian Rottner for keeping us musically entertained gratis; Lenny and Bryce Barker for donating and setting up the party tent; and especially Margaret Worden and Steve Sonnenberg for graciously hosting the Ice Cream Social on their lawn on Moody Pond. We couldn’t have pulled it off without you.

Thank you also to the Upper Saranac Foundation Aquatic Invasive Dive Team (USF-AID), the Adirondack Watershed Institute (AWI), the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program (APIPP), and the Adirondack Council for attending and being a part of our community outreach efforts.

We’d like to give special recognition to the local businesses and individuals who donated goods and services for our Online Auction: Adirondack Awards & Promotions, Adirondack Carousel, Adirondack Daily Enterprise, Adirondack Carousel, Adirondack Experience Museum, Adirondack Health Medical Fitness Center, Adirondack Lakes & Trails, Adirondack Life, Advanced Auto Parts, Ampersound, Bitters & Bones, Bloom, Blue Line, Blue Moon, Book Nook, Campfire Grill at Hotel Saranac, Cinderella’s, Coakley Home & Hardware, Curtis Lumber, Craig Wood Golf Course, Dewey Mountain Recreation Area, Donna Walsh’s “Moody Pond Stay,” Mini Euromart-Lake Placid, Fiddlehead Bistro, Gail Brill Design, Glenn White’s Wine, Hamlet’s to Huts, Hannaford’s, Heartwood Studios, Hex & Hops, Hyde Fuel, Jay Federman’s “Bread a Month Club,” Just Nails, Kinney Drugs, Kretser Tree Farm, Madden’s Garage, Mapleview Produce, Mark Twain Maple Works, Mountain Chef Store, Nori’s Good Food Naturally, Northern Forest Canoe Trail, Owl’s Nest Eatery, Paul Smiths VIC, Raquette River Brewing, Riverside Pet Supplies, River Trail Beer Works, Silver Birch Cycles, SL Hot House, SLove Health Club, St. Regis Outfitters, Tractor Supply, Twin D Automotive, Wildlife Conservation Society, Women’s Civic Chamber, Wild Center, Willy Nilly, Woods & Waters.

Friends of Moody Pond now sets its sights on using 100% of the auction profits to continue the removal of Eurasian watermilfoil. The divers will be back on several more occasions throughout the summer. We hope you’ll make a trip over to the pond and observe your dollars at work.

With great appreciation for the members of our community and beyond, who are making it possible to reflect; restore; celebrate; Moody Pond.

Susan Rdzanek

For the board of directors, fundraising committee, and members of the Friends of Moody Pond

Saranac Lake