Happy Canada Day!
On behalf of the PLRA Board, we extend our warmest welcome and wish you all an enjoyable and pleasant summer at Percy Lake with friends and family. For the coming week, we wish you all a happy holiday, especially the long week-end be it celebrating Canada Day and/or
Independence Day.

UPCOMING EVENTS
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM) AND PICNIC–SUMMER 2019
For this year, the PLRA Board has decided to hold the annual general meeting and the annual picnic at the same date and location, namely the Winder family cottage beach (1547 Percy Lake Road) on Saturday, August 17. This decision was intended to avoid the traditional long weekend meeting for the AGM and while we are gathered for that event, also hold our annual social event on the afternoon following the AGM outdoors. We will be prepared for rain (and shine). Stay tuned for further details as we approach this active day.

1) PLRA ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM) – 2019 SATURDAY AUGUST 17 2:00 PM
Further details, including a draft agenda, will be circulated as we approach the meeting date. Last years’ AGM had an excellent attendance and we anticipate the same this year. Suggestions for topics for the AGM are welcome. We will also be inviting our elected municipal officers at the AGM. The AGM is a time where questions can be raised for our elected officials, we can exchange information and it’s an opportunity to meet friends and neighbours on the lake. It is also an opportunity to renew your annual membership! Light refreshments will be served.

2) POT LUCK SOCIAL EVENT – SATURDAY AUGUST 17 4:00 PM
Please join us for PLRA’s Annual Pot Luck Picnic at the Winder Beach. Everyone is welcome to attend, along with your weekend house guests. This is also a great opportunity to catch up with old friends, meet new people, and savour some of the great food and treats conjured up by participants. We will also be recruiting volunteers to assist with the annual picnic.

ANGLING ACTIVITIES
A – FULL SEASON YOUTH ANGLING CONTEST – 16 Years and Younger
This contest is open for the entire legal fishing season for both lake trout and bass to Percy Lake Ratepayers’ members and their families. Trophies will be presented at the following year’s AGM. Entrants should take pictures and be prepared to tell your fish stories. If you prefer to catch and release, you will need to have a witness to measure the fish length, take a photo, record the date and for entry in the contest, email the information including the angler’s name and age to any director or to hello@plra.ca, the e-mail for our new website  https://plra.ca/.
3)
This website replaces the former site www.plra.net which will direct you to go to the new site. You can send any content or photos you would like posted to the site to hello@plra.ca. (Note: Tight lines usually means “fish on”, so young anglers, let’s see your photos and hear your
fish stories.)

B – LIVE RELEASE FISHING TOURNAMENT
PLRA’s Catch and Release Fishing Tournament will also be held August 17 from 8:00 AM to noon. Participation in the tournament is open to paid members (and family) of the PLRA. Rules for both the Youth Angling Contest and the one-day fishing tournament will be posted at the
new website. Note: Youth can enter both the tournament and the full season angling contest.

C- LAKE STEWARD’S MEETING – JUNE 8, 2019
Jack and Susan Russel attended the meeting run by the Coalition of Haliburton Property Owners’ Associations (CHA) on behalf of the PLRA. The CHA is an organization committed to the protection of the lakes in Haliburton County by providing resources on blue green algae,
invasive species, septic health, low flush toilets, etc. [website: https://www.cohpoa.org/] Jack and Susan noted a few items of particular interest:

• Information about the Lake Health Report in an easy to read format can be found on the CHA website.
• Plant Tool is a way to find local plants that are good for shoreline preservation and where you can find these plants. This Plant Tool is also on the CHA website.
• Shoreline Preservation By-Law: Charlesy White is the Director of Planning for Haliburton County. She is putting together a shoreline preservation by-law that will strengthen the current by-law. Accordingly, this would include not just the trees (as in the existing by-law), but all growth 30 meters from the shore which should be natural. Contact info: cwhite@countyhaliburton.on.ca, phone – 705-286-1333 x 222.
• Climate change: The increase in precipitation over the last few years has contributed to the leaching of nutrients such as calcium from soil. Increasing calcium levels is one of the best ways to improve the health of forests and help address some of the impacts of climate
  change. One method of re-introducing some calcium back into the soil and thus back into our lakes is to collect the ash from our fireplaces and spread it around our trees. Maples and Sugar Maples need calcium the most, conifers the least. Just make sure the ash is cold before spreading. Norm Yan, a scientist working in Muskoka Lakes to re-introduce calcium into the lakes and forests has a program to collect ash from lake shore participants and find a way to distribute this back to dead forests.

OTHER ACTIVITIES OF INTEREST IN HALIBURTON
Haliburton is an active community – many varied events are held during the summer season. The radio station, CANOE-FM, is an excellent source of information and events happening in the community. One particular event of interest for runners and walkers is the Highland Yard. For all you runners and even those who might like to volunteer, the Highland Yard will happen Sunday morning, August 4 in Minden, Ontario. The 10k, 5K, 2k event is family friendly, a marked course, and timed. All proceeds from the race go to Places For People, Haliburton County’s charity for affordable housing. Places For People currently houses 8 families in 5 different houses located throughout the county (www.placesforpeople.ca). You can register or volunteer for this event at www.highlandyard.ca or if you wish to financially support the Highland Yard and Places for People, you can do so at www.placesforpeople.ca.

PLRA MEMBERSHIP – REMINDER
The annual PLRA membership fee is a modest $30 per family. These fees pay our major expenses, including membership in organizations including Coalition of Haliburton Property Owners’ Association (CHA), the Federation of Ontario Cottagers’ Associations (FOCA), and the
Coalition for Equitable Water Flow (CEWF) and for expenses incurred by PLRA’s annual obligations and events. If you have not yet renewed or joined the PLRA, a membership form is included for your convenience.

PLRA BOARD
Our current Board members are as follows:
Anna Tilman: President
Brian Edey: Secretary
Koko Yamamoto: Treasurer
Graham Warren: Past President
Lou Kiriakou: Live Release Bass Tournament and Newsletter Printing
Jim Richert: Full season Fishing Contest and Lake Development
Katherine Nanowski: Member-at-Large
Lake Steward: Mick Tilman
Have a great summer, and I look forward to meeting you at our AGM and Pot Luck event August 17 (1547 Percy Lake Road), the Fishing Tournament and of course, on the lake or thereabouts. A reminder for each event along with relevant details will be sent out.

Best regards,

Anna Tilman

annatilman@sympatico.ca