Friends of Lake Panorama is governed by a volunteer, seven-member board of directors. The board held its 2022 organizational meeting Nov. 29.
At the meeting, to new members were appointed to the board for three-year terms. Bill Winkleblack replaced Tricia Steffen, who has been on the Friends board since the nonprofit began in December 2013. Jackie Wellik replaced Emily Spradling, who was appointed to the board in May 2016 to complete two years of her husband Jim’s term when he was elected to the LPA board. She then served one full three-year term.
Other board members are Galen Johnson, Jody Muench, John Muenzenberger, Jan Reinicke, and Jim Tibbles.
In officer elections, Reinicke was elected president, Tibbles vice president, and John Muenzenberger secretary-treasurer. Susan Thompson is the non-profit’s executive director.
For the past year, the charity has focused on raising $50,000 for the Lake Panorama Dog Park. A total of $45,000 had been donated in advance of the July 30 Beach Ball fundraiser. That event cleared $25,000, and at a meeting in August, the Friends board voted to direct $5,000 to the Beach Ball proceeds to the dog park.
Construction is nearing completion. Turfgrass that was seeded late this fall was able to germinate, but overseeding will be needed in the spring. The park will open in 2022, once the turfgrass is established well enough to handle the expected traffic.
Two trees have been planted at the park, which were donated by Larry and Heather Isom, who own Isom Tree Farm. Fundraising will continue to add more trees to the park in the fall of 2022. In the future, the Isoms have offered to donate one tree for each tree purchased. Donations designated to the dog park also will be used to cover ongoing expenses for waste bags, and perhaps the installation of a couple of benches.
Other topics discussed at the Friends board meeting included a report on progress being made on establishing a multi-use Panorama West Trail, and three swings that will be added to the Sunset Beach playground. Both projects are being funded with proceeds from the 2021 Beach Ball, and will be completed in spring 2022.
Board members reviewed plans for a new project—a basketball half-court at Sunset Beach, for which fundraising is underway. Mark and Karen Einck, who matched donations of $25,000 for the Boulder Beach basketball court, have pledged to match up to $20,000 for the Sunset Beach court. It is hoped $40,000 can be raised for construction in 2022.
The Friends board formed a task force to develop a proposal for recreational amenities on Lake Panorama’s South Shore. The task force is made up of both Friends board members and additional volunteers from the community. The proposal created by this task force will be presented to the LPA board in the spring. The proposal is expected to include a disc golf course and walking trail, with additional amenities also being considered.
Preliminary plans for the next fundraising Beach Ball were discussed. The event will be held July 22, 2022. Final decisions on plans, pricing and how funds raised at this event will be used will be made at the board’s spring meeting.
Currently, donors giving to Friends can designate their gift to the basketball half-court at Sunset Beach, South Shore future recreational amenities, the Lake Panorama dog park, and the Friends general fund.
Donations can be made by check payable to Friends of Lake Panorama, and mailed to Friends of Lake Panorama, PO Box 488, Panora, IA 50216. Direct donations can be sent via Venmo @Friends-Panorama. Donations also can be made by credit card on the Friends website at friendsoflakepanorama.org.
Donations of securities (stocks, mutual funds, etc.) are welcome, as are direct IRA qualified charitable distributions. For information, contact Kristen Crouthamel, financial advisor at GCSB Investment Center, 641-755-2799 or kristen@investgcsb.com.