Fresh Pond group steps up efforts: Fundraising and ‘friend-raising’ event raises profile

A crowd of nearly 100 Islanders gathered on the lawn at the adjoining Fresh Pond homes of Lucy and Jai Singh and Peter Dangerfield and Mus Singaporewalla on Aug. 29 to support the work of the Fresh Pond Neighbors Association (FPNA).

Led by Peter Grand and James Eklund, the group has spearheaded efforts to clean and protect the pond. The Town recently undertook a study of conditions at the pond at a cost of $60,000. The Town covered $30,000 of the cost through a grant it secured; the Water Quality Improvement Committee paid $15,000, and FPNA paid $15,000 it had raised.

After lobbying the Town to conduct the study to learn how to improve water quality, FPNA contacted water experts and facilitated the process of choosing a water engineer to do the study. The results of the study are expected to recommend remediation efforts for which additional funds will be needed. The first-time fundraiser was a step toward contributing to that cost.

Mr. Grand addressed the attendees, explaining that the 10,000 year-old pond, known as a kettle hole, is “a window into the Shelter Island aquifer.” Those who swim in it regularly, as many guests said they did, are familiar with “how rich an ecosystem” the pond hosts, including snowy egrets, herons, bullfrogs and snapping turtles for which it is famous.

It also contains microscopic bugs that eat algae, he explained, and algal blooms have been one of the persistent concerns, along with the presence of geese. A major concern, which he called “a shared responsibility,” is the inadequate handling of waste, a problem that the Island is grappling with at the Town level.

The gathering, which featured entertainment by singer-songwriter Loudon Wainwright — who lives by Fresh Pond and swims there daily — raised funds through contributions and the raffle of a kayak. The organization has 501(c)3 tax-deductible status and has joined the NY State Federation of Lake Associations. Volunteers with FPNA sample the pond’s waters every two weeks and regularly remove decaying lily pads.