Spring is here, summer is right around the corner, and Membership Services is gearing up for a host of summer events. As always, we welcome all of our members to join the committee in any capacity that fits your busy lifestyle. Choose to help as much or as little as you like. I’m sure you’ll find the volunteer activities both enjoyable and rewarding. We always manage to have some fun while “working”!

Our first event, the spring cleanup, will take place on, Sunday, April 20, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. We best honor Earth Day 2008 by ridding our own lake of unsightly and harmful litter. The cleanup will be followed by a light lunch at Pat and Don Masucci’s home on East Wakefield Boulevard. Please call Pat or Don, 860.379.2303, for details and to determine which area of the lake needs your help in fighting litter!

The second annual HLWA tag sale is scheduled for Saturday, May 17, from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. at Resha Beach. It’s time to clean out your attics, basements and garages! Items can be dropped off at the Labich residence, 418 East Wakefield Boulevard, during the week of May 12 from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Bring us your unwanted treasures (please, no large furniture or clothing) and help your Association at the same time. Volunteers are needed to help tag and sort the items and also work the day of the sale. Please contact Jean Labich, 860.738.0167, for more details. Rain date will be Sunday, May 18.

The HLWA will once again sponsor a contestant for Laurel Queen during the Laurel Festival scheduled for June 13-15. We were so fortunate to have sponsored our reigning Laurel Queen, Alison Shea. She has proven to be an asset to our community, and we are very proud of her accomplishments. As in the past, we will be decorating the float on which our contestant will ride in the Laurel Parade through downtown. It’s always a challenging but rewarding endeavor to find new and interesting ways to use fresh laurel on a boat that will ultimately make its way down Main Street! We welcome all members to join us and offer suggestions for this year’s float. The parade and downtown events are definitely worth your time, and we hope you find the time to enjoy the Laurel festivities.

We’ve made it to July, and it’s time for our annual meeting! The general membership meeting will be held at Gilbert School at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 12. This is your opportunity to hear reports from the officers and directors of your Association. Each committee will recap the past year’s accomplishments and preview the coming year’s goals. As in the past, the Association will invite guest speakers with expertise in subjects relevant to lake living. The first Blue Circle award for environmental consciousness will also be awarded at the meeting. Coffee and doughnuts will be served.

Also on July 12, the annual boat parade will commence at Holland Beach at 8:00 p.m. Decorate your boats, gather your friends, and join the parade. And this year, just to make it a bit more interesting, the HLWA will award prizes for the best decorated boats. Pull out your Christmas lights and start decorating.

The fourth annual Evening on Highland Lake will be held on a Saturday in the summer on Barton’s Point. This elegant and enjoyable fundraiser pairs the tastes of local restaurants with a variety of wines to suit any palate. Add a beautiful lake view, a magnificent sunset, and soft music, and you’ve got a great night out, right in your own backyard. Watch for details and save the date. You don’t want to miss it!

The date of the HLWA summer picnic is to be announced. This is your opportunity to catch up with friends and meet new neighbors. The event is free, and we always have a great turnout. It’s casual, relaxing and definitely a great way to spend a couple of hours on a Sunday during August. The picnic will be held at the home of one of our members on the lake. Details and location will follow.