Last summer I was given the opportunity to participate in the Love Your Lake Program.
I was instantly excited about being on the water all summer and knowing I was offering people a way to improve their conservation efforts. It was great to see property owners intrigued by the work and wanting to participate in order to improve their lake. It was a great experience and I gained valuable knowledge about local lakes and the program that will help me as I advance in my education and career. 
Lake Tobin
I got to kick off the summer with Love Your Lake training which was held at Kipabiskau Lake. Groups participating in the program came from all over Saskatchewan and Alberta to learn about the assessments. We had a beautiful couple days on the water training and a great group of people to enjoy it with. After the training the preparation started with contacting local lakes, compiling GIS data, mailing letters to cabin owners and planning days to get onto the water. Once this was complete we got the chance to get out onto the lake and start our assessments. Tobin is quite large compared to most lakes in Northeast Saskatchewan and the wind can pick up quickly so the weather had to be perfect in order for us to get out and complete what we needed to. The second day on the lake was going great and we knew it was almost too good to be true. We had completed a commercial campground on the other side of the lake and thought we would head in for some lunch. Halfway back to the main resort however, we had a problem: the boat quit. Charlotte and I looked at each other and thought about what the problem could possibly be until one of us thought about the gas tank and of course it was empty. There was not a boat in site and we had a good distance to travel. Luckily after paddling for about 45 minutes some friendly cabin owners saw us and came and offered us a tow. It made for an interesting day but it is a day I will always remember. 
Jessica Griffeth
I would like to thank Watersheds Canada and the Canadian Wildlife Federation for creating a program to maintain and enhance the health of our lakes. I would also like to thank the Carrot River Valley Watershed Association for the opportunity to work for them for the summer and participate in the Love Your Lake Program. I could not have asked for a better summer or experience, I met lots of amazing people along the way and got the chance to take in some beautiful sites.