2009 FAWN Program at Houston Recreation Area

The annual FAWN (Forestry Awareness Week Now) programs were held on October 16th and 20th, at Houston Recreation Area in the Bankhead National Forest. This event is sponsored by the Winston County Natural Resources Council, and has been held every year for at least the last 14 years. In fact, this year a teacher told me that she had attended the FAWN program as a sixth grader herself. The first day of FAWN was rained out and had to be rescheduled, but everyone pulled together to make the adjustments necessary to have a successful event. Over 300 sixth graders attended the two days of FAWN. Each FAWN program featured eight learning stations about natural resources in Winston County. New learning stations this year included Boating Safety and Hunter Safety. FAWN would not be possible without all the people that volunteer to be presenters, guides, and facilitators. Here's a link to some photos of the event. Special thanks to Winston County Smith Lake Advocacy Inc. for making possible presentations on Water Quality by Judy Lambert and Mary Ann Crunk, and Boating Safety by Curtiss Cantrell of the U. S. Coast Guard.

October 24th slough clean-up

We had about everything possible to ruin the clean-up,high water in the lake,rain Saturday morning and cold weather that morning. We had dumpsters at Lakeshore Marina and Inn, old yellow creek marina.Duncan Bridge Marina and Jim Kings (boathouse bulder)Alabama power sent us 1,000 bags for the clean-up. Thanks to Bill Boyd,Carl Godsey,Ray Kelly and Jim King for allowing The Advocacy to use their facilities and then to Tarrie Hyche for furnishing all four dumpsters. Please thank these people for their interest in helping you and I clean-up this Beautiful lake.

Advocacy update

We had a board meeting Oct. 6th the following was discussed
1-Hopefully the monies for purchasing and putting signs on all tributaries on Smith Lake in Winston County will be approved soon.
2- We will be particapting in the Fawn program Oct. 15th&16th
3-Mona Scruggs told us that the grant for studing the Rock Creek watershed has been approved. Mona hopes to have a power point watershed program complete before 2010.
4-The 2010 cleanup dates have been approved by Doug Powell Al. renew our rivers program.
5-Discussed slough clean-up on the 24th.
6- discussed burning abandoned platforms laying on shorelines around the lake. John Lebetter will have one of there people go with us, to approve abandoned platforms.
7- water tested looks good.
8- xmas party for the board in December.
Next Board Meeting January 2010