Boat Decorating Contest a Blast! The unofficial photos...

There were those who didn't enter...

... and then there were those who did!  About 20 entries gathering on Blueberry Island to overwhelm the judges whose task was to choose the 3 best vessels!

All winners to be sure!  With lots of laughs shared by participants and spectators!

 

 

Judges official comments and photos to come!  Stay tuned!  

WHO do YOU think is our BEST effort this year??  Comment below!

July 4th Weekend - Manchaug all aglow!

 

A Request for Flag Etiquette... How do I hang the flag on my house?

Display of the American flag
Behind a Speaker?	Display horizontally behind and above the speaker's head.
Flat against a wall?	Display horizontally or vertically with Canton at flags own right. (or to viewers left)
In a window?	Display vertically with Canton at flags own right. (or to outside viewers left)

Displaying an American flag outside my House
On a Pole attached to the wall?	Hang Flag at the top of a pole either horizontally or diagonally from the wall with any other flags below it on the same staff or another staff.
On a horizontal rope from a building?	Hang flag vertical with the Canton farthest from the building.

Displaying an American flag on a Flagpole
More than one flag on a pole?	The US Flag should always fly above other flags and should be the same size or larger than the others.
One flag each on many poles?	The US Flag should always fly on it's own right. When flying with other country flags all flags should be the same size and fly at the same height as the others.

Can I leave my American flag out at night?

The US Flag should always fly in light. If you can see the flag clearly either by mounting a light directed towards it or because of street lights or house lights than it can remain outside during the night. It may also be economical to bring your flag in during harsh weather to save it from excessive tearing. Most flags are considered all-weather however if you buy a 2-ply polyester flag it is the industries strongest and longest lasting flag available.

Sunset on Manchaug Pond

Beautiful evening for a boat ride - turtles, heron, osprey, and mallards were also enjoying the lake.

Everything I need to know I learned from Noah's Ark...

 A Douglas resident found this in Sunday's church bulletin and thought we on Manchaug Pond would enjoy it!

Everything I need to know I learned from Noah's Ark...


1.  Don't miss the boat.  

2.  Remember that we are all in the same boat.  

3.  Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark. 

4.  Stay fit. When you're 600 years old someone may ask you to do something really big. 

5.  Don't listen to critics,  just get on with the job that needs to be done. 

6.  Build your future on high ground. 

7.  For safety's sake, travel in pairs. 

8.  Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs. 

9.  When you're stressed, float a while. 

10.  Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs, the Titanic by professionals. 

11.  No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting.

Sacred Sunday: Deer in the Watershed

Thanks to our newest photographer for sending in today's photo!

Did You Enter Yet? Manchaug Pond Boat Decorating Contest!

Register your boat today!

Any boat, any theme!  Cash prize for 1st, 2nd 3rd place winners!
  Join the fun either on the water, as a judge on the judges' boat or on the shore cheering them on!

Take a look at some of last year's entries:

Boat Decorating Contest

Sunday, July 3rd ~ 2nd Annual 

Boat Decorating Contest 

 Break out the garland, streamers and your imagination!

The Second Annual Boat Decorating Contest is scheduled for Sunday, July 3rd starting at 2:00pm.  

Pick a theme, decorate like crazy, and parade around the lake for all to see. We’ll follow the same route as last year, starting at Blueberry Island. We hope to have judges on the water this year so they can get a birds-eye view of your decorating skills!

To participate, you will need to register. You’ll be issued a number that must be prominently displayed on the starboard and port sides of your boat.  If you don’t want to be a contender for the cash prizes, feel free to bypass the registration and simply decorate and join in the procession.

To register, email boat.decorating.contest@gmail.com or call 508.234.9239. Please provide the following information:
Captain’s Name:
Telephone #:
Boat Make/Model
Decorating Theme:

Everyone had a lot of fun last year and the turnout was great with at least 18 boats decorated and parading around Manchaug Pond! 

Cash prizes will be awarded!

WANTED: JUDGES -- We’re looking for people to volunteer their time to judge this contest. Please contact me at the email or telephone number above if you’re interested in being a judge.

Certified Safe Vessel Performs Rescue on the Water!

Late yesterday afternoon a pontoon boat which had participated in the Vessel Safety Check co-sponsored by the Manchaug Pond Association and the Worcester County Sail and Power Squadron performed its first rescue.   Lake residents commonly help inexperienced boaters in trouble on Manchaug Pond.

The Captain wrote on Facebook:  "Rescued two women in a capsized canoe today. The younger of the two, my age, thought if they could just get help with righting the canoe they could get back in and be on their way… the 83 year old nun she was with was already in our boat, happy to be rescued, and wanted nothing to do with getting back into the canoe -- another time, I'm sure."

The canoe went over in choppy water.  The glare of the setting sun made it difficult to count heads and determine if the people were just taking a swim or in need of help.  But our new Captain, 1st mate, and crew, jumped in, rescued the two in the water, and hauled the canoe on board and took them safely home.

Heading off after their Vessel Safety Check on Saturday.

Well done!

* Canoes and kayaks are required to have a signaling devise, a whistle around the neck or attached to the life jacket is very accessible.  A life jacket for each person is also required. If your canoe has a motor of any kind, it must be registered.   

Sacred Sunday

Ahoy Mateys ! Get your boat to the ramp for the VESSEL SAFETY CHECK this morning!

Let the inspectors help you get your boat ready for the water this season! This FREE Vessel Safety Check helps you know exactly what your motorboat, kayak, canoe, rowboat and jetski needs to be safe and legal on the waters.  Do you need a horn, a fire extinguisher or 2, a flare, lights?  What!?

No fines, no fees!

Come today to the Manchaug Pond state boat ramp between 9-12, tell the gatekeeper you are just here for the vessel check - no launch, no fee.

Feel confident this summer when the police boat pulls up aside of you for a check!    I'm told Environmental Police love to see the Safe Vessel sticker!

Here's a few photos from last year's event!

Special thanks to the Worcester County Sail and Power Squadron for organizing and cosponsoring this event with the Manchaug Pond Association! www.usps.org/worc

June 18th VESSEL SAFETY CHECK!

Does your boat have this sticker?

Bring your vessel(s) - canoe or kayak, sail or motorboat- for a free inspection by the Worcester County Sail and Power Squadron. Receive your official sticker certifying your vessel is safe. Inspectors will tell you just want you need to be legal on the water!

The inspection is free and all are welcome.

Manchaug Pond Boat Ramp on Saturday, 18 June from around 9:00 A.M. to around noon.

Boats can be on trailers or in the water. Bring one or bring them all!

The ramp is located on Torrey Road in Sutton MA.

42* 05.473' N

71* 46.118' W

Program brought to you by:
the Manchaug Pond Association and the Worcester County Sail and Power Squadron

And the winner of the 2011 BIG Boat Raffle/$10,000 Giveaway is.....

three ducks remaining.... with only a representative of ticket holder #96 at the event.

The Fundraising Committee chairman and M.C. for the event offers #96's daughter the option to split the prize money with the other two remaining.....

.....#96 says no split, "Go for it all!"

So the children pull the losing ducks first....

first to go is #22.    AAHH!

next to go is #96.  AAAHHH!!

leaving the winner #117,          who is happily taking the $10,000 cash!     Congratulations!




A HUGE thanks to the 120+ who bought raffle tickets, the 82 who attended the Saturday event, the YMCA for use of the facility, to the many MPA volunteers who designed, printed and publicized the raffle or was involved in shopping, setup, served food, etc, and to our 9 member FUNdrai$ing Committee and our Board of Directors which is 24 strong who sold tickets and oversaw the whole program. 

Great day!  Great event!  Great fundraiser! Great cause!

Tomorrow is here! 120 tickets sold.... who will be this year's Lucky Duck!

The ducks are numbered,

the chicken dinners are ordered,

the tickets are sold out!








See you tomorrow at the Spring Social for the reverse drawing of our BIG Boat Raffle/$10,000 Giveaway!

Great odds for a great cause!  

ALL proceeds benefit the Manchaug Pond Foundation.

Got Boat ? Decorate!

Boat Decorating Contest: SUNDAY, JULY 3rd

Break out the garland, streamers and your imagination! The Second Annual Boat Decorating Contest is scheduled for Sunday, July 3rd starting at 2:00pm.  

Pick a theme, decorate like crazy, and parade around the lake for all to see. We’ll follow the same route as last year, starting at Blueberry Island. We hope to have judges on the water this year so they can get a birds-eye view of your decorating skills!

To participate, you will need to register. You’ll be issued a number that must be prominently displayed on the starboard and port sides of your boat.  If you don’t want to be a contender for the cash prizes, feel free to bypass the registration and simply decorate and join in the procession.

To register, email boat.decorating.contest@gmail.com or call 508.234.9239. Please provide the following information:
Captain’s Name:
Telephone #:
Boat Make/Model
Decorating Theme:

Everyone had a lot of fun last year and the turnout was great with at least 18 boats decorated and parading around Manchaug Pond! 

Cash prizes will be awarded!

WANTED: JUDGES -- We’re looking for people to volunteer their time to judge this contest. Please contact me at the email or telephone number above if you’re interested in being a judge.

Sacred Sunday - Blue Skies!!

After the storm - Pollen!

The tornado/thunderstorms split going north and south of us here on Manchaug Pond with just little rain received.  But now pollen is seen dusting the water. 

Skies and Wind

6:00 p.m. Danger Passes... for now.

At 6 pm as the weather reports show footage of a tornado touching down in Whitinsville just east of Manchaug Pond, these photos were taken here on the lake.

25 minutes later,  we're told the "Sutton storm" is strengthening with thunder rumbling loudly giving us a bit of a shake to the west - Whitinsvile and south to Douglas - with lightening seen to the north.

With many summer homes both cottages and camper trailers and tents on Manchaug's shore,  we pray all continue to be safe.

Stay tuned as another storm area has formed and grown once again in the Springfield area with another tornado now being reported in Westfield.

TORNADO COMING this way! NOW!

MANCHAUG POND!  Too late to batten down the hatches ... if the storm holds together, East Douglas and Sutton are in the path of a tornado currently in east of Sturbridge heading toward us at 40 mph.

Be prepared to head to the cellar/basement and invite that neighbor in the summer camp to join you.

If you are watching the news - you know the shape of Manchaug Pond to know where we are!

Check Twitter on the right side of the blog for our updates!

Memorial Day Fully Celebrated on Manchaug Pond

An old photo from the files

Memorial Day weekend traditionally finds most of Manchaug Pond's summer population moving in! This weekend was no exception with campgrounds brimming with both seasonal and weekend guests. It was evident that this year brought many newcomers to the water with our old summer friends as we heard of boaters asking directions as to how to get back to a campground, another boater dropping off passengers on the shore who roamed through yards asking directions as to how to get to the other side of the lake by road, and the boating violations could have tipped the scales as happy jetskiers pulled two friends in a tube through the channel around and around the lake while others let their young children take a turn at the wheel of their personal motor craft.  A Facebook friend of Manchaug Pond event found it necessary to send an alert as to a large amount of broken glass on Blueberry Island.

Join us in our love of Manchaug Pond - the fun on the water, the cookouts, the campfires but please be safe and do your part to keep our beautiful lake a beauty.  Leave her better than you found her!

Memorial Day makes us remember... The Bombing of Blueberry Island

As the gun salute is given to veterans of past wars at a cemetary in the Manchaug Pond watershed this morning, a story comes to mind told by local residents from the days of the World War and witnessed here on Blueberry Island.

Take a moment to visit the website and read of "The Bombing of Bluebery Island."

Looking out the window of his Army P-40, a very different Blueberry Island was seen by the pilot than the one captured here in this 2009 aerial photo.

Sacred Sunday: Who was up at 4 a.m.!

 

Once the south end of the lake bedded down at 3:00 a.m. - the music amplifiers off, the dogs stopped barking, a car alarm was quieted, and the conversation ended -

silence engulfed the area so that after 4:00 the "who, whooing" of the owl was heard.

It's back! BIG BOAT RAFFLE/$10,000 GIVEAWAY LOOKS TO LAKE PRESERVATION

BIG BOAT RAFFLE/$10,000 GIVEAWAY LOOKS TO LAKE PRESERVATION

Great odds and a great cause make this the fundraiser worthy of your participation! The Manchaug Pond Association presents this year's BIG BOAT RAFFLE with a bigger and better prize than last year!

This year's prize is bigger and better!

The Prize:  A 2011 Sun Tracker Bass Buggy 20 ft pontoon boat and motor or $10,000 cash option is being raffled away with only 120 tickets to be sold. Purchase your ticket alone or with family or friends to share the winnings and excitement of this event to preserve this 380 acre community resource. Tickets are $200. each and include a free chicken dinner ticket for the day of the drawing.

Helping draw in the reverse raffle held last year!

The Drawing will be held Saturday, June 11th on the shores of beautiful Manchaug Pond at the YMCA Camp Blanchard boat house with a BBQ chicken dinner and reverse drawing. Yes, losers first!  The boat will be on-site the day of the drawing courtesy of USA Marine, of Route 20 in Worcester, and ticket holders do not have to be present to win. The event will begin with the first election of the Board of Directors of the Manchaug Pond Foundation by the members at 11:00 a.m. followed by the reverse drawing at 11:30 and lunch at noon.

Receiving a check for $8,000!, our 2010 Boat Raffle winner takes the cash option with winning ticket #99.

To support the preservation of Manchaug Pond by obtaining a raffle ticket call George Cammuso at 774-280-2328 or email infoMPA@charter.net.


USA Marine employees and MPA Board members and their spouses are ineligible.
All proceeds benefit the newly formed Manchaug Pond Foundation, a 501c3 non profit IRS approved public charity whose mission is to preserve Manchaug Pond. Raffle sponsored by the Manchaug Pond Association (MPA).

http://www.usamarineinc.com/



Winning ticket #99 gave 2010 raffle winner Donald Klocek of Grafton a check for $8,000 as presented by George Cammuso, MPA Fundraising Committee Chairman.

Are you ready for the next event? We are!

Will you be the next winner?

On the shore of Manchaug Pond, our Fundraising Committee chairman presents a check for $8,000 to the winner of last year's BIG BOAT RAFFLE. With winning ticket #99, he selected the cash option over the boat, motor and trailer package.



Email infoMPA.charter.net.

Sacred Sunday: Reflections Before the Rain

from our photographer at Holbrook's cove

That was a great fundraiser!

A huge thank you to all those who love Manchaug Pond and are supporting our efforts!

The results of MPA Fundraising Committee's Rockin' Spring Fling have been reported to the Board of Directors...   with feedback from attendees, the band, the Dudley-Gendron and considering the number$$ in funds raised for the foundation, it has been unanimously declared a huge success and placed on the event calendar for next year!

Talking number$ for those of you who like the details.... It looks like somewhere in the neighborhood of $4,149. was raised.  $225 paid out to the winner of the 50/50 raffle and $100 in expenses for the band.... leaving us with a grand total of $3,824. deposited in our fund to preserve Manchaug Pond. 

Special thanks to the band, our event coordinator and the Fundraising Committee for a fun evening and successful event!

The Evening's Sunset

We haven't had time to post an update on the success of our recent efforts: the Rockin'Spring Fling fundraiser, the launch of the next one - the BIG Boat Raffle/$10,000 Giveaway, the 319 stormwater grant's completion and the next grant applications, meetings and conversations to enhance and preserve our natural resources, etc ...

... but we are working hard, making great progress and love this lake noted for beautiful sunrises, tremendously fun days and classic sunsets!

Enjoy! and thank you to each and everyone of you who has sent their tax deductible dues and donations, bought a ticket or two, donated a raffle item or given us a pat on the back for our perseverance and dedication in working for Manchaug Pond.

Here's some of what you missed Friday night.... Final Notice