Mark your calendar for WAPOA's Annual Meeting on Saturday, August 22, at the Immaculate Heart Church Social Hall.
This is your chance to see where your membership dues go –– from starry stonewort mitigation at the Rush Lake channel to water quality monitoring across 40-plus lakes. Board elections and the year's program priorities will be on the agenda, so it's also your chance to have a say in what comes next.
Doors open at 8:00 a.m. for a complimentary continental breakfast and a community open house. You'll have the opportunity to meet local organizations and community partners, learn more about their work and discover ways to get involved.
Community Open House Exhibitors
Minnesota Aquatic Invasive Species Research Center (MAISRC), with Minnesota Coalition of Lake Associations (MNCOLA)
Northern Waters Land Trust
Whitefish Chain Yacht Club (WCYC)
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
Run for the Walleye
WAPOA Shoreline Restoration
WAPOA Water Quality
Ideal Community Service Organization (ICSO)
Early Detection Volunteer Program
Clean Energy & Community Resiliency, Initiative Foundation
The Annual Business Meeting begins at 9:00 a.m., followed by this year's featured program.
Pine River Watershed Alliance & Northern Waters Land Trust
Representatives from the Pine River Watershed Alliance and Northern Waters Land Trust will share more about their recent merger and their shared vision for protecting our area's land and water resources. The presentation will feature:
Todd Guerrero – Board Chair
Robert Karls – Board Member
Ally Mazurek – Grants Manager & Water Conservation Specialist
Ally also serves as the staff lead for the Pine River Watershed Alliance Committee, which is made up of former PRWA board members and was formed as part of the merger.
John Kempe, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
John Kempe, Acting Brainerd Area Fisheries Supervisor with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, will provide an update on recent changes and developments related to fishing on the Whitefish Chain.
John has worked with the Minnesota DNR since 2019, serving in Fergus Falls, Aitkin, Mille Lacs and currently Brainerd. He holds a B.S. in Environmental Science and an M.S. in Aquatic Biology from Bemidji State University and has enjoyed building relationships with lake associations and community groups throughout the Brainerd Lakes Area.
Whether you've been involved with WAPOA for years or are simply curious to learn more, we encourage you to attend. The Annual Meeting is open to everyone, not just WAPOA members.
We hope you'll join us for a fun and informative morning.