FRIENDS OF LAKE KEOWEE SOCIETY
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ABOUT FOLKS
Friends of Lake Keowee Society (FOLKS) is an organization dedication to the protection one of the most beautiful lakes in the Southeast: Lake Keowee. Lake Keowee has a surface area of 17,660 acres, is 29 miles long, with 388 miles of shoreline at full pond at an elevation of 800 feet. FOLKS was established in 1993 to raise awareness of the importance of Lake Keowee and its watershed to the economic and recreational well-being of Upstate South Carolina (SC).
Established in 1993, FOLKS is a 501(c) 3 entity whose membership includes individuals, families, and local businesses.
Our Mission
Preserve, protect and enhance Lake Keowee and its watershed through advocacy, conservation, and education.
Who We Are
FOLKS is made up of people like you—people who care about Lake Keowee and recognize the importance the lake plays in the social, economic, and recreational aspects of all our lives. The organization is governed by a Board, elected by its members. We continue to grow our membership, with membership including individuals, families, and businesses. FOLKS actively monitors regulatory and environmental issues specific to Lake Keowee and is pro-active in representing membership through dialog with the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC DHEC), the SC Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and Duke Energy. FOLKS is also a founder/stakeholder on the Lake Keowee Source Water Protection Team.
The Board is focused on information-sharing, which is achieved through Keowee Magazine, our website, Facebook and Constant Contact emails.
The essence of FOLKS is its volunteers and our accomplishments are the direct result of the dedication and devotion of our membership.
Accomplishments
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30 Years of Lake Sweeps, Island Cleanups, and Boat Ramp Cleanups
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Habitat Enhancement Programs
o Installation of 6 Osprey Nests Constructed
o Placed 180 Fish Attractors
o Lead the effort to add riprap to specific areas of shoreline at heron nesting islands
o Assembled and installed 20 fishing tackle disposal containers
o Purchased and installed 75 Eastern Bluebird nesting boxes
o Planted over 8,000 native aquatic plants for fish habitat enhancement
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Performed decades of water quality monitoring
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Provide Adopt-a-Stream stream monitoring in several streams in the watershed
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Provided technical support in development of the 2020 Lake Keowee Watershed Basin Plan
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FOLKS was recognized by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or efforts to improve water quality in the Cane and Little Cane Creek Watershed The South Carolina Environmental Foundation.
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FOLKS received the Honor Roll Award from the Izaac Walton League for promoting good conservation and stewardship.
FOLKS LEADERSHIP TEAM
Board of Directors:
Dale Wilde, President
Howard Gutenstein, Vice President
Dave Metzger, Treasurer
Sam Savoca, Secretary
Dr. John Hains
Stephen Schutt
Board Advisors:
Suzy McKinney
Rick Sommer
Dan Hogan
Troy Knauss
Johnson Au-Yeung
Dr. Ann Savoca
Tony Gody
Past Officers:
Ben Turetzky, Director Emeritus
Doug Hof, President
Jack Lewis, President
Bob Swank, President
Mike White - Board Chairman
Committee Chairs
Adopt-An-Island: Paul Gibbons
Endowment: Dave Metzger
HEP Rep: Dale Wilde
Lake Sweep: Scott Calderwood
LKSWPT Liaison: Suzy McKinney
Adopt-A-Stream: Dale Wilde
Web Admin: Sam Savoca
Sentinel Editor: Susan Pleadwell