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ST. CHARLES, Idaho — A new leader has been named for the organization overseeing Utah's "Caribbean of the Rockies" — Bear Lake.
Bear Lake Watch, which was founded in 1994 as a nonprofit community organization dedicated to protecting and preserving the lake, has announced Bear Lake resident Brady Long will serve as executive director.
After making countless memories at Bear Lake over the years with their three children, Long and his wife, Heather, decided to settle on the lake's east shore about a decade ago. They quickly sought out various ways to get involved in the community, including the Bear Lake Education Foundation, Bear Lake High School Parent Teacher Organization and Bear Lake Memorial Hospital.
It was during this time the Longs met David and Claudia Cottle, former co-executive directors of Bear Lake Watch. As the Long family watched the Bear Lake Watch team in action, they were impressed by the organization's outreach, advocacy and research projects.
So when the organization recently offered the leadership position to Long, he viewed it as an opportunity to give back in a meaningful way.
"Bear Lake has given me and my family so very much," Long said in a press release. "It has been the ideal location to raise our family, and our children have benefited greatly from the teachers and the tremendous people in the community. There is no place on earth like Bear Lake — it's truly magical, and one of the magnificent treasures of our country."
Long is taking the reins during a crucial time for the organization. Bear Lake Watch has many collaborative initiatives in the works, including ongoing scientific research projects uncovering new insights into Bear Lake's unique ecology. The organization is also participating in relevant legislative committees and government agency meetings, such as working with Sen. Chris Wilson, R-Logan, on a bill to set up principles for future development at the lake.
Regardless of the project, the goal for Long and the numerous volunteers involved with Bear Lake Watch is always the same: to uphold the organization's slogan of "Keeping Bear Lake clean, deep and blue."
