The Adirondack Cooperative Loon Program was very pleased to celebrate its Fifth Birthday on July 15th, 2006, the day of the Annual Loon Census. After spending the morning looking for loons, more than 80 dedicated volunteers, supporters, and field staff recognized this significant milestone with a fun day of unique and fabulous prizes, food, and music at Great Camp Sagamore, a beautiful historic Adirondack Great Camp in Raquette Lake.

The warm afternoon provided an ample amount of sunshine and an abundance of support for Adirondack loons. Attendees enjoyed a slide presentation highlighting the Loon Program’s many accomplishments since its inception. This was followed by a raffle, where a lucky couple won the grand prize – a Weekend for Two at Great Camp Sagamore, and a silent auction with many exeptional prizes. The evening ended with a  delicious Sagamore barbeque and a concert provided by Dan Berggren, Celia Evans, Jamie Savage, and the Newton Street Irregulars.

The Birthday Celebration was very successful, with several thousand dollars raised through the raffle and silent auction for the Loon Program’s research and education programs and the new endowment, the WCS Loon Conservation Fund at the Adirondack Community Trust. We feel very fortunate to have the support of so many generous individuals who are dedicated to the conservation of the common loon and its habitats in the Adirondack Park.

The delicious appetizers served during the raffle and silent auction were generously donated by the following restaurants: 

v      Big Moose Inn, Eagle Bay

v      Knotty Pine Restaurant, Old Forge

v      Long View Restaurant, Long Lake

v      Saranac Sourdough, Lake Placid

v      Seventh Lake House, Inlet

v      Wawbeek Inn

Many wonderful prizes were donated for the silent auction and raffle at the Loon Program’s Fifth Birthday Celebration. We would like to thank the following Adirondack merchants, artists, and organizations who contributed to the Birthday Celebration:

We are most grateful to Great Camp Sagamore, the musicians, and the many businesses, volunteers, and donors who made the Birthday Celebration a true success! We especially thank the staff of Great Camp Sagamore for their generosity and assistance in organizing this event.

We would also like to express our deep gratitude to the many supporters who have contributed to our work during the past five years, and made our loon conservation efforts possible.

Thank You All Very Much!