WAYNE, NJ – Lionshead Lake is one particular of Wayne’s treasures but for a time, it fell into disrepair. The lake, with no treatment method turned unswimmable and the seaside grew to become overgrown. One male was instrumental in re-organizing the citizens all around the lake, foremost the charge to clear it up and make the lake a treasure when again.
For the earlier nine a long time, Steve Wesolowski has labored tirelessly to guide the restoration of Lionshead Lake. The only detail that derailed his attempts was a prognosis of ALS, which is a anxious system disease that weakens muscles and impacts bodily operate. There is no regarded cure.
Now the people about Lionshead are searching to preserve the male who assisted to help save their lake.
Karin Alsdorf and Paulette Brauch, have established up a GoFundMe web page to raise funds to renovate Wesolowski’s dwelling to make it much more accessible for him and his getting older mom. They are calling on all of Wayne people to enable.
“We resolved to make a GoFundMe account where by 100% of the proceeds will go to assuaging some of the economical stress, and to maximize the excellent of existence for Stephen and his mom, Pat,” wrote Alsdorf. “They have by now incurred costs for health care devices, a chair and a ramp but are still in have to have of a lavatory renovation and a prolonged checklist of diversifications to their property.”
When Wayne essential Wesoloski, he was there sacrificing yrs to get Lionshead Lake back again to what it had after been in his childhood. And now Wesolowski is counting on Wayne to enable him. Simply click right here to donate to this campaign
Steve Wesolowski grew up living in close proximity to Lionshead but moved out to California as an adult. About 10 a long time in the past, his father passed absent, and he came again dwelling to support his growing old mom.
When he returned, the lake was no for a longer period the wonderful swimming lake that was the heart of a lot of entertaining functions of his childhood. This was unacceptable and Wesolowski took it on himself to reorganize the people and restore the lake.
Ellen Snyder, a childhood close friend and neighbor of Wesolowski, started doing work with him early on.
“About 10 several years back, the news came that the Town was likely to near the lake,” she stated. “We experienced to pay back again-taxes and deal with it up, or they would lock it up.”
“I got my enterprise to give me a $500 sponsorship for the lake, and when I brought the funds down, Steve and I began chatting, and he certain me to aid him restore the lake,” Snyder said.
Alongside one another they started an aggressive sponsorship software, which supplied the cash to fork out off the back-taxes as effectively as to start to restore the beach front place and deal with the drinking water to make it swimmable again.
At the identical time, Wesolowski commenced to kind an official Board of Trustees for the lake which has now come to be the Lionshead Lake Residence Proprietors Affiliation.
“Steve experienced knowledge with running boards from his time doing the job in non-revenue in California,” Snyder explained. “So, we leaned on him to aid us do it appropriate this time.”
Snyder described Wesolowski as “relentless.”
“Our objective has been to open up it up as a swimming lake, like we remembered as small children,” she claimed. “And we promised each other we would not give up right until we acquired it open.”
That target was just about realized previous summer time, but the Coronavirus shut that down. Snyder hopes that this summertime will be the initial time the lake is formally opened for swimming and non-motorized boats.
Wesolowski made use of to assistance set up and break down just about every single party at the lake more than the final couple a long time. These functions consist of videos each individual Friday evening in the summertime, live shows on the beach front, easter egg hunts, Halloween on the seaside and much more.
“Steve simply cannot do it any a lot more simply because of his issue,” stated Snyder regrettably, “But now, for the reason that the Association is arranged and set up so nicely, we have volunteers and individuals we can shell out.”
Mayor Chris Vergano informed TAPinto that he has personally donated to Wesolowski’s GoFundMe marketing campaign.
“Steve is a wonderful, fantastic man,” claimed the Mayor. “He was instrumental in restoring Lionshead Lake and generating it this kind of a great source for the inhabitants there. He is completely deserving of our help and I persuade anyone to assistance him now that he desires us.”
Snyder stated that they are hoping to come across a contractor who will donate labor fees to make Wesolowski’s dwelling accessible for him, now that he is in a wheelchair.
“If a contractor would be eager to do that, we can supply them a sponsorship and sort of blast their title out in our community and on our Facebook webpage and just before occasions,” she claimed.
If you are keen to donate to support Steve Wesolowski, you can obtain the GoFundMe page below.