September 18, 2023
LAKE GEORGE — It was the best kind of crowd scene on the Village Pier in Shepard Park on Sunday morning, September 17, with more than 100 people showing up to Clean Up Lake George.
This first annual event, sponsored by the Lake George Association (LGA), brought together a cross-section of the community, ranging from families, schools, and sports teams to realtors, restaurants, motels, and boat rental companies. Also volunteering their time and skills in and on the water were the Warren County Sheriff's Office divers and Marine Unit, Lake George Park Commission, and North Queensbury Fire Department.
This inspiring example of purpose and collaboration is the essence of what it means to be a Lake Protector — taking Lake-first actions, wherever you are in the watershed — because it will take all of us to keep the Lake George we love clear and clean.
There was plenty of love given to the Lake on Sunday. Leads from the LGA staff and our Young Professionals group equipped and guided five teams of volunteers to pick up trash along the north and south Lake George Village shoreline, Beach Road waterfront, and West Brook. Meanwhile, the SCUBA team worked their way up from the public docks on Beach Road to the north Village.
In three hours, from 9 am to noon, enough trash was collected from land and water to fill a 30-yard dumpster, two of which were donated by Waste Connections, a co-sponsor of Clean Up Lake George. In addition to the usual trash — cups, bottles, cans, clothing, and cigarette butts — a tire, a metal chair, and a fire extinguisher were removed from the Lake.
To fuel the volunteers before and after, Tiki Tours provided coffee and bagels during registration on the Village Pier, and co-sponsor Lake George Beach Club hosted a barbecue lunch. But what really powered the day were people's passion and gratitude for the Lake we all rely on.
Thank you to Mayor Perry and the Village of Lake George for allowing the LGA to host this event.
More than 100 people chose to show up early Sunday morning to Clean Up Lake George.
Danielle Brown (front left), LGA Development Manager, gives instructions to the Clean Up Lake George volunteers.
Volunteers included Warren County Sheriff LaFarr (center), the Dome Islands Dolls (left), ADK Boat Tours (right), who assisted the divers.
Like so many, Karen and Ty Moore of Warner Bay participated because "We love Lake George."
Volunteers clean up Dog Beach on Beach Road.
North Queensbury Fire Department dive team were a welcome addition to clean-up efforts in the water.
Volunteers filled two 30-yard dumpsters halfway up with garbage from in and around the southern end of Lake George.
The littlest volunteer at Clean Up Lake George.
Monika LaPlante (left), LGA Managing Program Director, briefs team leads.
Warren County Sheriff and Lake George Park Commission were part of the underwater clean-up crew.
A small amount of the garbage collected on September 17, 2023.
Lake George Beach Club donated T-shirts for volunteers of Clean Up Lake George.