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.