An estimated 175 people attended the Friends of Lake Panorama 2022 Beach Ball July 22 at the Lake Panorama National Conference Center. After expenses, the event had a profit of more than $30,000.
The Friends board will meet in mid-September to discuss how to allocate the funds. Publicity in advance of the Beach Ball said profits would be used to support a basketball half-court at Sunset Beach, and recreational projects on the south shore, such as walking trails and a disc golf course.
Both outdoor and indoor spaces were used for the Beach Ball. Outside tables were under tents, located on the grass between the conference center and the golf course. Little Joe McCarthy, a singer and songwriter who lives in Omaha, provided live music under an outdoor tent.
For the second year in a row, individuals and businesses became Friends Beach Club members to support this event. Those who joined at one of these levels paid a little extra to get a little extra, while also making an extra donation to Friends of Lake Panorama. Friends Beach Club members were listed in the program.
There were 11 businesses and groups of individuals that spent $700 to join the Premier level of the Beach Club. Fifteen couples spent $250 to be in the Couples Beach Club, with 12 businesses or individuals donating $150 to sponsor a table.
There were 76 items donated for the silent auction, which brought in $7,500, up $2,500 from 2021. The live auction of 11 items raised $17,650, up from $8,000 last year. Two items in particular gave a big boost to this year’s live auction total.
One was the Iowa State University Cyclone football package, offered by Jamie Pollard, ISU athletic director, who owns a Lake Panorama home with his wife Ellen. It included four tickets in the athletic director’s suite in the Jacobsen Building in the north end zone for the Sept. 24 ISU versus Baylor football game. This package also included a parking pass, plus food and soft drinks during the game. Several bidders were interested, and drove the price steadily higher. In the end, Tom and Rodie Gibson were the winning bidders at $4,250.
Another live auction item that generated spirited bidding was the six-course gourmet dinner for six, with a different wine paired with each course. This is the second year this has been offered by LPA members Bill and Karen Fitzgerald. The dinner is served in the winning bidder’s home, prepared and served by the Fitzgeralds. At the 2021 Beach Ball, this dinner sold at live auction for $2,000. This year, the dinner went for $4,000. Because of strong interest from bidders, the Fitzgeralds offered a second gourmet dinner, which sold for $3,500.
Laura Kemble won the 50/50 raffle, then donated her winnings back to Friends. That led to the raffle bringing in $2,450, up $200 from last year.
Donations to Friends of Lake Panorama are accepted at any time, and can be designated for a current or future project, or for the general fund to be allocated by the Friends board. Checks can be made payable to Friends of Lake Panorama and mailed to PO Box 488, Panora, IA 50216.
Direct donations also can be sent via Venmo @Panorama-Friends. Credit cards are accepted on the Friends website, although Friends is charged a 2.9% processing fee on these donations. Donors are asked to consider increasing their donation to help cover this additional cost.
All donations are tax-deductible. Donors of $500 or more are recognized on signs erected near specific projects they designate, and on the donor page of the Friends website. More information is available at www.friendsoflakepanorama.org.