FROM THE PRESIDENT'S DESK

by Tom Cox, TMLA President

One July morning this summer, our 9-year-old granddaughter, Stephanie, who was with her mother in our guest cabin, suddenly suffered a seizure. The first thing Sarah did was to call 911. Soon we heard sirens on Lower Ten Mile Lake Road. Hackensack First Responder Julie Rono arrived, followed moments later by the Walker Ambulance Service. By then Stephanie had regained consciousness, but after a careful examination, the health and rescue specialists whisked her off for an MRI at St. Joseph's Hospital in Park Rapids, from which she went on to Fargo for further tests. She was home again that evening, and all turned out well. In the meantime all of the gathered Cox family were grateful for the readiness of the First Responders and the Ambulance Service crew to respond to our emergency call.

Did you know that the TMLA will match gifts you make to First Response when you make them through the Association? We don't have the identical policy with regard to the Walker Ambulance service, but Walker Ambulance welcomes contributions as well. If you're ever in the mood, as I am right now, to support these local services, you may send your First Response contribution payable to the TMLA, P.O. Box 412, Hackensack MN, 56452. You can also send a check directly to the Walker Ambulance Service, 513 Front Street, Walker, MN 56484.

On the community front, this summer we've seen plans for all three of our circumscribing county highways, #6, #50 and #71, move ahead. Traffic flowed over the new CSAH #6 Boy River bridge beginning August 27th, and highway #6 widening and resurfacing will start next spring. Cass County will begin work on relocation of CSAH #50 this winter, and we have seen plans for CSAH #71 paving and realignment to begin perhaps in 2005. In July, as an association we completed our purchase of environmentally sensitive property in Kenfield Bay. In August some 155 TMLA members and friends - possibly a record - attended our 51st Annual Meeting. Meanwhile our Association Committees have been diligently at work, as can be seen from articles published elsewhere in this summer's newsletters.

Ours is a vibrant and dynamic association, one that continues, year in and year out, to pursue research, maintain community ties, and provide news and information to its members. I thank all of you for your interest in and concern for our Association's mission to preserve and improve Ten Mile and its environment.