The Prest Family

Val and Art Prest’s family bought land on Lost Lake in 1946. With help from their three sons, their father built a log-sided cabin on the lake in 1947. The Prest family would come almost every weekend in spring, summer, and early fall to swim, fish, and go boating. For the Prest family, Lost Lake was more than just a getaway — it was a place where lifelong friendships were made, and family bonds grew stronger with each season. Alex and Martin Woodle, Stevie and Bob Trager, Henry Simon, Joey Griffin, Eleanor Willis, George Day, and others were the regulars at the camp. 

 In 1974, Art invited a girl named Carole to the camp’s water-skiing party. Art was captivated not only by Carole’s impressive water skiing but also by her joyful singing. After six years of dating, they married in 1980 and moved to Washington, D.C., where they worked until 2009. Art retired as Chief Technical Officer and head of Government and Regulatory Affairs for two privately owned wireless communications companies operating in Michigan and California in 2010. Carole Prest retired as Chief Strategy Officer for BELL (Building Educated Leaders for Life) in 2011. They returned to Groton for retirement. Art served on the Town of Groton Finance Committee, the Town’s Economic Development Committee, and chaired the Lost Lake Watershed Advisory Committee. Carole Prest was the former Board Chair of the Groton Hill Music Center. Val and his wife, Wendy, built their retirement home on family land in 2007. 

With his civil engineering background, Val designed the house to use geothermal energy for heating and cooling. Val provided a very detailed description of the design. In this recording, the Prest family shared stories about the Lost Lake Camp Days, discussed recent challenges with water quality and invasive plants in the lake, explained the design of the thermal energy system, and offered insights into the planning of the Groton Hill Music Center.