1. The Smith Mountain Lake Sail and Power Squadron instructors will teach a one day Safe Boating Class for the Runaway Bay Safety and Security Committee and any other interested boat owners. The class will be held June 17th, at the Leesville United Methodist Church, on Rt. 43 near the intersection of Chellis Ford Rd. To reserve a spot in the class, please contact Karen Bragg by June 1st, at: 434 369-4666, or e-mail her at: VETTE92LT1@aol.com. There is legislation pending that could make these classes mandatory for all boat owners.
2. Courtesy vessel examinations will be available over the summer months. If you are interested in this FREE service, e-mail Gerry Caprario at: capgerry@hotmail.com
3. Remember your life jackets, especially for children. Consider having them wear one even at the dock.
4. CHECK YOUR FUEL. Running out of fuel can really spoil a nice day, and can be dangerous if the weather turns bad. Keep a cell phone and phone number list on board your vessel of lakeside friends who have boats in the water.
5. Be aware of the sun for everyone in your party, especially the children. Be sure everyone has sunscreen, REAL sunglasses, hats, and protective clothing such as T-shirts, etc.
6. Stay safe, play safe! Remember the "no wake" zones within 50 feet of docks and in coves.

1. A 3-5 day supply of water (1 gallon per person per day), food that won't spoil and a manual can opener.
2. A first aid kit with bandages, antibiotic cream, your family's medications and copies of prescriptions.
3. Emergency tools, a battery powered radio, flashlights and plenty of extra batteries.
4. Make sure your car's gas tank is full and have an extra can of gas available. Have an extra set of car keys, a credit card, extra cash or traveler's checks.
5. Sanitation supplies: toilet paper, sanitary pads or tampons, diapers, soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, garbage bags and disinfectant.
6. Special items for infants, elderly or disabled family members.
7. Keep family documents such as birth certificates, insurance policies, wills, an inventory of household possessions, a list of emergency phone numbers and financial and tax information in a waterproof container.
8. Keep everything up to date.
9. Take a Red Cross First Aid/CPR class. Teach all family members how to turn off utilities and how to use a fire extinguisher.
10. Establish escape routes from each room in your house and a safe meeting place outside of it. Also decide which room in the house would be the "safe" room in the event of a tornado.

This will be our 3rd year of holding this event. It helps to keep our lake beautiful by removing floating and shoreline debris. Let's all work to make it a success again. The date for this year will be June 24, from 9 A.M. to 4 P.M., with the last load to be brought in by 3:30. Debris for disposal can be brought by land or boat to locations at the Runaway Bay Community Boat Ramp, Tri-County Marina, or leave debris behind the buoy at Butch Shaffer's near the 8 mile marker. These drop-off sites will be marked by signs visible from the water. You can also participate by cleaning areas chosen by you and disposing of debris yourself. Please use the registration sheet at the end of this newsletter to sign up for the cleanup and the picnic. All participants will get a Leesville Lake T-shirt and trash bags. Extra trash bags and bottled water will be available at each drop off site. We will package your trash bags and T-shirts under your name. Please ask volunteers participating in your group not to duplicate by submitting another form. For more information call: Sherwood Zimmerman @ 434-656-1826 or 434-429-9237, or spzim@pmtnet.net; Sam Skillman @ 434-309-9988 or slskillman3@aol.com; or Fred Tannehill @434-369-5126. Please return the sign up form by June 15th.

Remember to bring friends, gloves, a rope for towing debris, a tarp to protect your boat, extra trash bags, sunscreen, boots, chainsaw or handsaw, water and food, first aid kit, and Advil or Tylenol!! For safety reasons, alcoholic beverages are not suggested.

The Celebration Picnic to thank participants will be held Sunday, June 25, at 2:00 P.M. at the Tri- County Marina pavilion. Drinks, hamburgers, hot dogs and fix-ins will be supplied. Please bring a covered dish or dessert to share.

• Platinum - $1000: Your company business card on our web page with quick link to your website; a free 1 year LVL Newsletter ad; a wall plaque and 4 LVL hats; company name listed on T-shirts in bigger bold print; recognition in local newspapers and at the Cleanup Day Picnic.
• Gold - $300: Your company business card on our web page w/quick link to your web site; company name listed on T-shirts in large bold print; recognition in local newspapers and at the Cleanup Day Picnic.
• Silver - $200: Your company name, address and phone number on our website w/quick link to your website; company name listed on T-shirts in smaller print; recognition in local newspapers and at the Cleanup Day Picnic.
• Patron - $100: Your company name on our website; company recognized at the Cleanup Day Picnic on the sponsorship board and in local newspapers.

From, Master Gardener Julie Moore & the Wash. State Lake Protection Assoc.

Bulkheads are not the best or only way to prevent erosion and can create dangerous drop offs, especially to children and the elderly. They also interrupt natural shoreline vegetation and nutrient flow.

Controlling erosion and run-off by planting natural/native vegetation provides a more gradual transition from yard to lake, helps beautify the lake and enhances wildlife habitats. Native plants require less pesticides and fertilizers, need less water and create a natural filter system trapping nutrients from water run-off before it enters the lake. Rain and watering can cause wide-spread use of fertilizers to wash into the lake and cause rapid aquatic plant growth and algae blooms, which hamper lake activities and kill fish. Careless disposal of lawn clippings and yard debris will also pollute the water. Dispose of these and/or start compost piles well away from the lake. Pesticides and herbicides can cause serious damage to fish, wildlife, and people, especially if applied on windy days or stored improperly. Always read the labels carefully regarding their use and container disposal.

Canadian Geese like to feed in short grassy areas, but their feces on docks, lawns and in the water can cause harmful nutrients in the lake and are unsightly, unsanitary and unsafe. (It is illegal to feed waterfowl in all three of the counties around the lake!)

Consider placing a path through a six to eight foot wide buffer zone of low growing plants on the way to a dock or beach. Many plants are suitable for this area of wet soil. In future newsletters we'll talk about designing and specific plants for your buffer garden.