CELEBRATING MEMBER EXCELLENCE FOCA Achievement Award The 2017 FOCA Achievement Award was presented to the Golden Lake & Bonnechere River Property Owners Association at the FOCA Annual General Meeting of Members and Spring Seminar in March 2017, where we were treated to a serenade of the GLPOA association song! Watch highlights around the midpoint of the event video summary, posted here: https://youtu.be/qrJHXxGKc-w FOCA hosted our own Spring Seminar and Annual General Meeting of members, and attended the Environmental Commissioner’s annual ENGO Meeting, the Ontario Biodiversity Council (OBC), and the Ontario Onsite Wastewater Association Annual Conference in Niagara Falls. FOCA met with the Ontario Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry to discuss key mutual interests and ongoing concerns around water management plans, dock permits, forestry and invasive species. FOCA participated in the Rural Ontario Municipal Association “ROMA Speaks” conference, in support of strong and effective rural governments, and to strengthen our connections with politicians and municipal partners. We also met with our Lake Partner Program partners to plan out the year ahead. 2017 HIGHLIGHTS JANUARY FEBRUARY MARCH FOCA participated in the NORKLA ”Lake Health” seminar in Apsley, a meeting of the Environment Council for Clear, Ston(e)y and White Lakes, and at the Ontario East Municipal Conference in Kingston. FOCA presented at a workshop in Huntsville about changing climate and shoreline properties, at the Hastings Highlands Stewardship Day, the Lake Networking Group workshop on “Understanding Water Quality Data” in Perth, and was with Ministers and partners at a Peterborough event featuring our invasive species work. FOCA helped to circulate a survey about algae in Ontario lakes on behalf of partners at the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change and Queen’s University. We travelled Ontario lake country to member meetings at Sharbot Lake, Jack’s Lake and others, shooting our new “Lake Associations” video, released in November. JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER