To Preserve, Protect and Enhance the Beauty of Lake Winnecook
A Lasting Tribute: Jim Wescott Event Raises $24,414 for Lake Winnecook
What began as an afternoon to remember Jim Wescott became a powerful show of support for the lake he loved.
Held at Bigelow Brewing in Skowhegan on October 18, the memorial silent auction and fundraiser brought together Jim’s family, friends, neighbors, and supporters of Friends of Lake Winnecook. With live music by Carrie Hughes, generous auction and raffle items, and a room full of people who cared about Jim—and about Unity Pond—the event raised $7,217.
Combined with $4,990 in donations received before the event, the fundraiser brought in $12,207. Thanks to a 100% match from Friends of Lake Winnecook’s anonymous “Silent Friend,” that total will become $24,414 for the “For the Love of Our Lake—Let’s Make It Clean, Not Green” campaign.
Every dollar raised will help support the effort to rehabilitate Lake Winnecook, also known as Unity Pond, through an alum treatment that addresses phosphorus stored in lake-bottom sediments. Combined with ongoing watershed protection, the project aims to reduce the conditions that fuel algae blooms and create a healthier future for the lake.
A fitting tribute
Jim’s connection to Unity Pond spanned generations. What began with his great-aunt Leola’s camp in 1969 became a family gathering place, and later the year-round home Jim designed and built with his wife, Joan. An avid fly fisherman and boater, Jim studied environmental science and cared deeply about water quality.
Helping restore the lake is a lasting way to honor that connection—and to invest in the future Jim and Joan hoped to protect for their six grandchildren. Read more about Jim’s life on the lake here.
Thank you
Friends of Lake Winnecook extends special thanks to Capt. Aldrich for generously donating a scenic plane ride, and to Wayne and Sonia Dublis for contributing a stay at their recently updated camp for the silent auction. These thoughtful gifts helped make the event such a success.
We are also deeply grateful to the Wescott family, the team at Bigelow Brewing, the volunteers, and everyone who attended, bid, donated, or helped spread the word.
Your generosity—doubled by our Silent Friend—honors Jim’s memory and brings a healthier Lake Winnecook closer to reality.
Please click here if you would like to contribute toward our lake’s restoration effort. Remember, every dollar you pledge is matched dollar for dollar, as long as your donation is received by Dec. 31, 2026.
Joan Wescott with her grandson at the event; FOLW’s Dana Mosher (at right) with paddleboard winner Bob Mardi, the treasurer of the Friends of Lake Messalonskee.
Learn About the Burnham Beach
Shoreline Restoration Project
Best of Friends Award — Patterson’s General Store
Dana Mosher presented this year’s FOLW Best of Friends Award to Patterson’s General Store at the August 6th FOLW Annual Meeting.
Accepting the award (a slate plate engraved by Sy & Lei Laser Engravings of Vassalboro) was Dion Rossignol, current co-owner and a family descendant of the store’s original owners.
Through the years, Patterson’s has gone above and beyond for Friends of Lake Winnecook — selling our merchandise, helping spread the word to customers, supporting our projects and events, and always being ready to lend a hand when the association needs one. Patterson’s and their staff also sold the most of our Boat raffle tickets, playing a major role in its success.
Businesses like Patterson’s aren't just businesses — they are part of the fabric of this community.
Congratulations and thank you to the entire Patterson’s family and crew, past and present!
6/25/26
Valerie's warmth, kindness, and love for Unity Pond touched countless friends and neighbors. We honor her memory and celebrate the lasting impact she made on our community.
6/14/26 Notice - Lake users should be aware that a large quantity of bright yellow-green pine pollen is currently visible on the water surface and along shorelines. Pine pollen is often mistaken for algae, but it is a normal seasonal event and is widespread across the lake.
Stabilization installed at Kanokolus Beach and Burnham Beach
We caught the perfect weather window for Littlefield Paving & Plowing and Huff Construction to install our planned shoreline stabilization projects at both town beaches.
For the Love Of Our Lake
Hit the arrow to get inspired!
See what can be accomplished if we all pitch in to restore and protect our lake. Join the campaign today!
Haven’t renewed your membership yet? Now’s a great time to do so!
Our fiscal year starts on August 1. We have new Membership Levels this year.
YOU CHOOSE what level of membership is right for you!
Whether renewing or joining for the first time, we are collecting fresh information as much of our older information is stale.
Please be patient and complete the entire form even if you are sure nothing has changed. We want to get it right.
And while you’re at it, please consider making a GIFT MEMBERSHIP for a family member, friend or neighbor that has a connection to our lake. It’s easy and welcomes them into our community.
Membership Information
Friends of Lake Winnecook (FOLW) and our beloved lake would love your help; please click below for more information on how to become a member or renew your current membership.
Lawrence Mangan Memorial Page
Please click the button below to visit the Lawrence Mangan Memorial page, honoring the memory of our dear friend Larry Mangan. In accordance with his family's wishes, any funds that would have been spent on flowers are instead being donated to Friends of Lake Winnecook to honor his memory and love of our lake.
Let’s Make it Clean, Not Green!
We Have a Winner!
Out of 41 submissions, we are thrilled to announce that Donna Gillette, of Corinth and Unity submitted the winning name for Phase III of the Unity Pond Watershed Restoration. A huge thank you to Donna and to all 14 members who submitted their ideas. Let’s rally behind this inspiring message and work together to restore the health of our lake!
Internal Loading Study Results
Leveraging funds received through a grant from the John Sage Foundation, as well as in-kind donations and support from the Maine DEP, Unity Pond sediment was analyzed in 2022 and 2023 as a next step in the Watershed-Based Management Plan. Click on the button below to view the scientific data.
Watershed Survey: Final Report
Unity Pond’s water quality is impacted by pollution from numerous small, diffuse sources across the pond’s watershed. When rain and snowmelt flow across land, they pick up soil, nutrients and other pollutants. This is known as “nonpoint source” pollution (NPS) and is the primary threat to most lakes in Maine.
Click the link below for the Final Report of the Unity Pond Watershed Survey, which was conducted in 2021. The report provided our members with insight regarding the sources of pollution around the watershed, a list of properties that have been identified as potential risks, as well as suggestions on how to rectify the issues found.
Protecting our watershed should be an effort undertaken and supported by the entire Lake Winnecook community.