Posted on Aug 24, 2016Communication is vital to your lake association. It is especially important for those members that are not permanent residents.
Balance regular, brief updates
In addition to communicating activities, goals and lake status in your newsletters, regular brief updates can provide your members with timely, useful information that can either be new info, or even yearly reminders.
Examples
Examples of these timely communications include ice conditions on the lake (is it safe or not), winter storms and snow conditions (is there so much snow that people should consider shoveling off roofs), high water events, buoys have been placed for the season, cottage opening checklist, start and end of fishing seasons including catch limits, bass nesting area warning (remind people not to fish in shallow water while male bass are protecting their nest), drought conditions, fire ban status, low water and rock outcropping warnings, violent storms and any associated damage (or all clear), road construction status (perhaps recommend a detour), cottage closing checklist, removal of buoys, and fall lake lowering warning (for those lakes where water level is lowered every fall).
Don't forget Events
Of course community events should also be conveyed, either for individual events or perhaps send out a list at the start of each month.
Spark Interest
Your members not only receive valuable information but you are also keeping your lake association relevant, and perhaps this will entice new members as neighbours exchange information. You may also spark enough interest, among existing members, that you get a new volunteer or two.