Plans have been finalized for the Friends of Lake Panorama’s fourth Beach Ball fundraiser. It will be Friday, July 30, at Lake Panorama National, with seating available either in the LPN banquet room or outside under tents between the conference center and the golf course.
Registration now is open for those who want to attend this event. There will be 30 round tables available, with seating for eight at each.
New this year is the formation of the Friends Beach Club. People who choose one of the four Friends Beach Club levels will be making an additional contribution to Friends, while getting some extras. The levels are:
Friends Beach Club - Premier: $600—includes 1 Table Sponsorship; 8 Fund Raiser Dinner Tickets; 20 tickets in the 50/50 raffle; Name in the 2021 Beach Ball program
Friends Beach Club - Sponsor: $150—includes 1 Table Sponsorship; Name in the 2021 Beach Ball program
Friends Beach Club - Couple: $200—includes 2 Fund Raiser Dinner Tickets; 5 tickets in the 50/50 raffle; Name in the 2021 Beach Ball program
Friends Beach Club - Individual: $100—includes 1 Fund Raiser Dinner Ticket; 2 tickets in the 50/50 raffle; Name in the 2021 Beach Ball program
Dinner tickets only will be available at a cost of $50 each, with $25 of that going directly to Friends. The planned dinner menu includes charcoal grilled 10-ounce NY strip steaks, chicken kabobs, pasta primavera, fruit bowl, dinner rolls, and desserts of strawberry shortcake cups and triple chocolate Ghirardelli brownies.
Past table sponsors are being contacted to ask if they want to join the Friends Beach Club. Anyone interested in becoming a Friends Beach Club member, or purchasing just dinner tickets to the Beach Ball, can contact Susan Thompson, thomcomm@netins.net, or 515-240-6536.
At a meeting May 3, the Friends board of directors chose three projects to support with funds raised at this year’s Beach Ball.
One is the Lake Panorama Dog Park. Fundraising for this project began in September 2020. The goal is $50,000 to construct the park and provide all desired amenities. So far, $38,000 has been raised for the park, which will be open to LPA members and their guests.
The park will be located at the corner of Sage Trail and RV Road. Plans include a 6’ high chain link fence 400’ long and 150’ wide. There will be two sections, one for small dogs and one for large dogs. A single entrance will be protected by a keyless lock.
A second project that will receive funding from this year’s Beach Ball is the Panorama West trail. A task force has developed plans that include marking a 2.5-mile trail, which includes a 1.5 mile out-and-back section, and an optional 1-mile loop. A trail map will be developed, and placed on an informational kiosk that will double as a trail head sign. Trail markers with directional signage and distance markers will be installed. Locations for two benches will be identified. The budget for this project is $5,500.
Three swings added to the Sunset Beach playground is the third project that will receive Beach Ball proceeds. These will be the same swings as those now at both Boulder and Shady beaches. The budget for this project is $8,000.
The Friends board chose these three projects in hopes enough money will be raised at the Beach Ball to complete funding for all three in 2021.
Two other projects will be introduced at the Beach Ball—a disc golf course and a basketball half-court at Sunset Beach. If more money is raised than is needed for the first three projects, the funds will be set aside for these two projects, with additional fundraising beginning this fall.