Fund-Raiser Nets $5,000 To Improve Water Quality in Deal Lake
By DON STINE
Even though the weather didn’t quite cooperate, residents living around Deal Lake partied anyway Saturday to raise money to improve water quality in the lake.
“For first time out I think everybody’s happy with the way it went. It also makes people a lot more aware what’s going on regarding the lake,” said event organizer Mark Fleming, who lives in the Wanamassa section of Ocean Township.
Fleming said individual homeowners around the lake were invited to host parties to raise money to install aerators at various sections of the lake to help improve the water quality.
Deal Lake, with more than 20 miles of shoreline that borders seven municipalities, is the largest lake in Monmouth County.
Fleming said due to the rainy and foggy night a number of parties were cancelled but five homes along the lake did proceed with their plans and raised $5,000 to help fund purchase of an aerator.
“Considering the weather and the number of cancellations we are very happy with the results,” Fleming said.
Eileen Chapman, who lives on Locust Drive in Asbury Park, said she combined her party with her next-door neighbors, Thomas Mannix and Kevin Pilla.
“About 40 people showed up even though the weather wasn’t the best,” she said.
Chapman said Jeanne Toher, a representative of the Friends of Deal Lake, went around and spoke individually to people about the problems and issues concerning the lake.
“It was a good event for people to interact with each other, learn more about the lake, and meet some new friends,” she said
Fleming said it is expected an aerator will be installed later this year in the lake, just west of the Sunset Avenue bridge, but that long-term plans call for about four to six aerators to be placed in various sections of the lake.
Fleming said his group is now working with the Deal Lake Commission to determine placement of and electrifying the aerators.
The Saturday night plans also called for people to line the shore with lights and have a flotilla of boats, also displaying lights.
“Some people did have lights on their shoreline and some even went out in their boats but then the fog rolled in,” Fleming said.
He said a similar event will be planned for next year, most likely in August or September.
“We will definitely have another one so people can start planning now,” he said.
For more information on the efforts to raise money for the aerators go to DealLakeEvents@yahoo.com.
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