Response to Dorothy Weisbord Article 1958

Response to Dorothy Weisbord Article 1958

Dorothy Weisbord chose to attack Art and I refer to us as bitter. We are not bitter people. She related change as missing her neighbor, George Burgess, a real Vermonter, who sat on his porch loving and admiring Lake Ninevah.

Dorothy Weisbord is not aware that Art and I were classmates of George and his first wife Shirley from K – 12 in Bennington. We were the ones who told them about Lake Ninevah. Art’s mom and her two brothers lived at Wilson Castle in Rutland when they were in high school. All the school proms were held in Vermont. We are true Vermonters who moved out of the state for a job. We love our state and also love Lake Ninevah.

We are aware of the positive changes the Foundation have made at Ninevah and have acknowledged them. We are not happy with changes they have made such as, exposing our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren to the nudity that has dominated our public lake for too many years. We would describe the Ninevah Foundation more like a cult than an organization dedicated to keeping the lake forever wild and beautiful for the public to enjoy. They have received Vermont Grants and solicited donations from the public to assist them in their projects and land purchase. Vermont grants should make it a priority to open lands first to Vermonters. When they cut off every access to the lake this does not happen. The Foundation should provide the access, not the State.

Art and I ran the waterfront at Elfin Lake in Wallingford in 1958 and 1959. It had a beautiful beach, float with a diving board, bathhouses, flush toilets, a picnic area, and a concession stand. Art taught swimming lessons 5 days a week and it was open from 8a.m- 8 pm. 6 days a week. Price was $3.00 a family in a 6-mile radius and $6 for those outside. It is a little more expensive today but even more beautiful. It has a day camp for area children. Is a non-profit, tax-exempt charitable organization dedicated to serving the public allowed to deny access to Vermont residents and the few owners on the waterfront who are not members?

I quote Dorothy: “I was very sorry to read the Gage rant. I hope that it hasn’t caused mischief in the community.” We Vermonters tend to stick to ourselves and have dealt with the Foundation for years finding our own fun time in spite of the Foundation. When the Foundation chose to charge us with encroaching on their land March 2015 Art and I decided to start investigating them. Three years ago we knew nothing of their activities. The Foundation gave us the perfect incentive to rant and cause mischief in the community. That is why we have decided to share our findings with area residents.

Ida Gage