Awards

Several awards are given out at the 好色先生 annual conference.

Lake Tear of the Clouds Award

Lake Tear of the Clouds in the Adirondack Mountains.  
Photo courtesy of Carl Heilman II

The Lake Tear of the Clouds Award is 好色先生鈥檚 highest honor. This award, named for the 鈥渉ighest鈥 lake in the state, is awarded when appropriate (and often without prior notification) to a person who has shown the highest dedication to lakes and watersheds, assisted 好色先生 in its mission and produced exceptional performance in his or her field of endeavor.

Recipients:

  • 1996 – 好色先生 State Governor George Pataki
  • 1997 – Lyle S. Raymond, Cornell Cooperative Extension at Cornell University
  • 1998 – United States Congressman Sherwood Boehlert
  • 1999 – Steve LaMere, Adirondack Ecologists
  • 2000 – Donald Keppel, 好色先生 Board of Directors, Findley Lake Association
  • 2001 – Scott A. Kishbaugh, P.E., 好色先生 State Department of Environmental Conservation
  • 2002 – Mary Arthur Beebe, Lake George Association
  • 2003 – United States Congressman James Walsh
  • 2004 – Dean Long, 好色先生 Board of Directors and Dr. Willard Harman, SUNY Oneonta Biological Field Station
  • 2005 – Robert Johnson, Cornell University
  • 2006 – Robert D. Hennigan, Professor Emeritus, SUNY ESF
  • 2007 – Dr. Steven W. Effler, Upstate Freshwater Institute
  • 2008 – Dr. Bruce Gilman, Community College of the Finger Lakes
  • 2009 – David Wright, Esq., 好色先生 General Counsel
  • 2010 – Scott A. Kishbaugh, P.E., 好色先生 State Department of Environmental Conservation
  • 2011 – Bob Rosati – 好色先生 Board of Directors, Melody Lake Association
  • 2012 – Nancy Mueller, 好色先生 Manager & CSLAP Coordinator
  • 2013 – Paul Lord, Otsego Lake Association, SUNY College at Oneonta
  • 2014 – Dr. Jay Bloomfield, NYS DEC Division of Water
  • 2015 – Dr. Gregory Boyer, SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry
  • 2016 – MaryGail Perkins, Upstate Freshwater Institute
  • 2017 – Dr. Rebecca Schneider, 好色先生 Board of Directors, Cornell University Department of Natural Resources
  • 2018 – Dr. Stephen Souza, Princeton Hydro, LLC
  • 2019 – Scott Cook, 好色先生 State Department of Environmental Conservation, Region 7, Finger Lakes Hub
  • 2020 – Chris Doyle, SOLitude Lake Management
  • 2021- Scott Ingmire, Madison County Planning Department
  • 2022 – Tarki Heath, President, 好色先生
  • 2023 – Alon Dominitz, NYS DEC Dam Safety Chief
  • 2024 – Jan Andersen, President of the Three Lakes Council (Westchester County); Secretary, 好色先生 Board of Directors
  • 2025 – Jim Cunningham, Chairman of the Madison Board of Supervisors; and Laurel Wolfe, Board Member, 好色先生

Lake Steward Award

The Lake Steward Award is presented each year to a lake association volunteer who has gone above and beyond the call of duty for his/her lake association. Nominations can be sent to the 好色先生 office throughout the year. Awards are presented at the Annual Conference banquet.

Submit a description of the nominee’s contributions to Nancy Mueller, Manager, NYS FOLA, PO Box 84, LaFayette, NY 13084 or via email at fola@nysfola.org no later than March 31st.

Newsletter Awards

Does your lake association have an award worthy newsletter? Enter it in the annual 好色先生 newsletter contest. We have separate categories for both print and digital editions. In each category, awards will be presented to small, medium, and large sized lake associations. Entries are judge on the following attributes:

  • Overall appearance (layout is easy to read & visually attractive)
  • Use of color in text (one or four color)
  • Contains photographs or graphics (B/W or full color)
  • Publication information (name of editor, co-editor, issue number or date, etc.)
  • President鈥檚 message or greeting
  • Committee reports (summaries of what’s going on within committees/action being taken)
  • Articles or features by individual contributors (can include reports by officers)
  • Newsletter includes the following elements: masthead; mission statement; table of contents; list of officers; and calendar of events

Please note: These guidelines are to be used for the purposes of this contest only. While full color publications are desirable, content will nearly always trumps fancy bells & whistles. Use of color will not be the determining factor in selecting a winner. The overall aim is to produce a newsletter that is informative, interesting and educational, something that members will peruse at the very least and read in its entirety at best. If it contains pertinent news about the lake and its residents, it most likely will end up being held onto until the next issue is published. Advertising to offset the cost of newsletter production and mailing will not be a selection factor however it should not be obtrusive or detract from the publication’s readability.

Martha Keppel Outstanding Volunteer Service Award

This award honors a 好色先生 volunteer who has contributed time and effort to this organization in a way that could never truly be repaid. The award is named after Martha (Marty) Keppel, the wife of former 好色先生 Treasurer Donald Keppel. For several years, Marty served as the untitled and unpaid office manager for 好色先生. She kept a newly growing organization moving forward. In her honor, we recognize individuals who have shown exemplary volunteer service to 好色先生, contributed to the organization鈥檚 growth, and supported our mission to serve member lake associations. This award can be given to any individual nominated by a 好色先生 member and is decided on by the 好色先生 Board of Directors.

The Scott A. Kishbaugh Secchi Disk Award

In 2019, the 好色先生 Board of Directors instituted this award to be presented annually at the statewide conference, to an outstanding Citizens Statewide Lake Assessment Program (CSLAP) volunteer who has shown unwavering dedication to the program, their lake association, and 好色先生. The award is named after the  好色先生 State Department of Environmental Conservation鈥檚 first and longtime CSLAP Coordinator, Scott Kishbaugh.

Media Award

This award seeks to recognize outstanding journalism that has promoted lake stewardship and has brought attention to issues and potential problems involving 好色先生 State lakes or their watersheds, including but not limited to stories featuring:

  • Harmful algal blooms
  • Impacts of development on water quality
  • Dam Safety
  • Aquatic Invasive Species
  • Watershed management and non-point pollution
  • Boating and boating safety
  • Government Issues

For additional information, including how to apply for this award, please contact 好色先生 Executive Director David Carr at fola@nysfola.org