(Written 4-8-07)
Ellen has been a stalwart of the Association and its sister organization,
the Chocorua Lake Conservation Foundation (CLCF), ever since they were
created in 1968. She attended the first CLA Directors meeting as Board
Secretary, serving until about 1980, and then again from 2000-2005 as
Editor of the CLA Newsletter. When the issue arose as to whether motorboats
should be banned from Chocorua the Lake, she was one of those who drove
up to Concord to attend the 1970 legislative hearing in the House on the
proposal. As you may know, the Committee was persuaded and strongly supported
the ban, which became law the next year. In the early 1900s, she was also
involved in creating materials to persuade the NH Legislature to squash
a later move to allow an exemption from the ban for boats with electric
motors.
Aside from giving the Board the benefit of her thoughtful opinions and
wise counsel, she also was very involved with Lydia and Alan Smith in
gathering material for Chocorua Recalled through some dozen interviews
with the older “flatlanders,” including Molly Balch, Art Baldwin,
Polly and Sam Bowditch, Ellen Epplesheimer, Kate Hadden, Isabelle Lloyd,
Sylvia (Sidda) Newsom, Theo and Toby Page, Peg Pennypacker, Bob Ward,
Steve Weld Sr., and Cornelia Wheeler. Most of the interviews were taped,
Ellen doing the time-consuming but interesting work of transcribing them.
The first printing of 200 copies came out in 1996, sold like hot cakes,
so there was a second printing, still available at the Other Store in
Tamworth.
In 2000, she took over from Lydia as the editor of the CLA Newsletter,
a job she describes as being mostly fun and often challenging, with a
tad of hassle thrown in. Happily, her son, Alex did the formatting. Generally,
people were very cooperative about providing reports, material or news
articles. In the summer of 2005, she handed the editorial reins over to
capable Emilie Smith.
But perhaps her most important contribution to the Basin and environs
was her co-leadership with Theo Page in spearheading the Fund for Chocorua
Lake (FCL), inaugurated in 1999 to raise money to buy land or easements
on property that directly affected the quality of the Lake and the integrity
of the Basin area. Among other things, the Brown Lot across Rt 16 from
the Sandy Beach was coming up for sale, and others north along the Chocorua
River would soon, hopefully, come on the market. At a meeting in the Wheeler
house in Cambridge, a goal was set at raising $500,000 within three years.
The fund-raising campaign began with an announcement in the Newsletter,
followed by letters to all on the mailing list. In addition, Ellen and
Theo recruited people to talk to likely supporters during the summer.
It says a great deal about her dedication and skills -- and the concern
of others for protecting this unique resource -- that in less than six
months the goal had been reached in cash and pledges. By early January
2000, the fund held just over $576,000; by the annual meeting in the summer
of 2001, it was just over $590,000, with pledges of some $31,000. When
the books were closed in the spring of 2004, some 197 individuals or families
had contributed -- truly remarkable, since there are less than half that
number who live or have summer homes in the Basin. Only four small pledges
are still outstanding.
The Fund has been put to good use: the Brown Lot was purchased and covenanted,
as was 2900 feet of river frontage in Albany, as well as conservation
easements on Chocorua River upstream from the Lake and on the property
just across Route 16 from the old Inn Annex (known to some as the Candy
House). Money had also been spent on erosion control on the east shore
of the Lake (the “berms & swales”) and the removal of
dead or dying trees in the Grove by the bridge and on the “Island”
along old Route 16.
For all of Ellen’s tireless, dedicated work, we thank her.