Registration now is open for the Friends of Lake Panorama Beach Ball fundraiser Friday, June 21. The Beach Ball will be held at the Lake Panorama National Resort event center, with all seating in the banquet room.
Registration will be 4:30 – 5:30 p.m., with a buffet dinner served beginning at 6 p.m. The menu includes pork loin, chicken, baked potato, garden salad, dinner rolls and dessert. Beverage service offering lemonade, tea and water is included with the meal. There will be a cash bar, which opens at 4:30 p.m.
There are several options for those interested in attending the event. Members of the Friends Beach Club provide additional financial support to Friends of Lake Panorama beyond the cost of the meal. Prices for 2024 Beach Club memberships remain the same as last year, and are:
Friends Beach Club - Premier: $700—includes table sponsorship, eight dinner tickets, name in the 2024 Beach Ball program; Friends Beach Club - Couple: $250—includes two dinner tickets, name in the 2024 Beach Ball program; and Friends Beach Club - Sponsor: $150—includes table sponsorship, name in the 2024 Beach Ball program.
A limited number of individual meal tickets will be available at $50 each. Attendance will be capped at 225, so those interested are encouraged to finalize their plans as soon as possible. To register, contact Susan Thompson at 515-240-6536 or staff@friendsoflakepanorama.org.
At its April meeting, the Friends of Lake Panorama board voted to make the Lake Panorama National Golf Course Master Plan Priority 1 projects the focus of the 2024 Beach Ball. This means the LPN Priority 1 projects will receive a percentage of pooled funds raised, plus all direct donations designated specifically for the LPN project.
Funds will be raised with both live and silent auctions, plus other activities throughout the evening. Those who want to donate auction items specifically for the LPN Priority 1 projects can do so.
For instance, two couples are donating an authentic Iowa barbecue dinner for 50 people. Chris and Brenda Duree and Mike and Kelly Faga are the donors, and have asked the proceeds from this live auction item go to the LPN project. Their dinner menu includes baby back pork loin ribs, smoked, barbecued and shaved pork loin, bacon mac and cheese, baked beans, cornbread and coleslaw. Also provided will be iced tea and lemonade, plasticware and napkins. This event could be held at the home of the winning bidder, Boulder or Sunset Beach, or other suitable local venue.
Several other auction items are committed that have been popular at past Beach Balls. These include a set of four passenger car tires for any vehicle, donated by Scott Politte, president of Stivers Ford Lincoln of Waukee; a Cyclone football package for the Nov. 2 ISU vs. Texas Tech game, which includes four tickets in the ISU Athletic Director Suite with Jamie Pollard, food and soft drinks during the game, and a VIP parking pass; a piece of jewelry custom-made by Gary Youngberg, owner of Ames Silversmithing; Paradise Pad items, donated by Mike and Austin Hayden; and a six-course gourmet meal for six with wine pairings, prepared, served and donated by Bill and Karen Fitzgerald.
A new auction item this year is two apple trees, delivered, planted and donated by Isom Tree Farms, owned by Larry and Heather Isom. The winning bidder will be able to choose from several different apple varieties for their two trees.
Those interested in donating auction items for the 2024 Beach Ball are asked to email staff@friendsoflakepanorama.org.
2024 marks the 10th anniversary of the founding of Friends of Lake Panorama. A video loop available for viewing throughout the evening will feature photos of past projects.
These include improvements to playgrounds at all three beaches, sports courts at both Boulder and Sunset beaches, dog park, recreational area on the south shore, enhancements to the Panorama West Nature Trail, more than 20 new benches at beaches and golf courses, and several smaller projects.
Details on all past and current projects are available on the Friends website at friendsoflakepanorama.org. Friends of Lake Panorama also has a Facebook page.