Quote:
Originally Posted by SteveS
I consider the Ames family to be among the most effective preservationists on the lake. They manage to protect the hillside behind the cottages from development, while still providing easy access to the lake for boaters of all kinds who are not fortunate enough to own their own piece of paradise. The cottages represent one of the few (& becoming fewer) options for a traditional week at the lake for a family, unless one is lucky enough to be able to afford a "camp" of it's own. Many local & island kids get a chance for a great summer job experience that money can't buy, learning responsibility & good work habits from a family that's been successful for years & really know what they are about.
And Ames does all this preservation work without fund raising of any kind! They actually pay taxes! Go ask the LRCT folks how easy it is to preserve a ridge line - they worked their butts off for years to raise the money to preserve the "Castle in the Clouds" land, and now they work their butts off to keep it running.
I don't mean to suggest that the Ames family's intention is or is not to be preservationists, nor do I care. But I do care that when I look at the ridge line I don't see another Samoset. When a fisherman pulls a bass out from under my dock I feel a little less guilty "owning" my bit of lakefront, knowing that no matter where he comes from, as long as his boat floats he has access to the lake I'm lucky enough to spend 100 days a year on.
Thanks for reading my rant!
Steve
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Oops, I meant "a little less guilty". Perhaps I should read the post first?