More than 180 people attended the Friends of Lake Panorama 2024 Beach Ball June 21 at the Lake Panorama National event center. After expenses, the event had a profit of $35,000.
For the fourth 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 a direct donation to Friends of Lake Panorama. Friends Beach Club members were listed in the program.
There were 17 businesses and groups of individuals that spent $700 to join the Premier level of the Beach Club, which was five more than in 2023. Sixteen couples spent $250 to be in the Couples Beach Club, with six businesses or individuals donating $150 to sponsor a table.
There were 53 items donated for the silent auction, which brought in $7,540. The live auction of 13 items raised $14,750. Those totals add up to a $4,000 increase in auction revenue over 2023. Proceeds from a 50/50 raffle and a half-card-draw game netted $2,000.
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. Those projects include tee box and driving range renovations and new tee signs and ball washers.
Advance publicity stated auction items could be donated specifically for LPN Priority 1 projects. Eighteen silent auction items and six live auction items were designated for the LPN fundraising effort, and resulted in proceeds of $8,450.
At a meeting June 24, the Friends board of directors voted to add $21,550 to those proceeds, earmarking $30,000 for the LPN Priority 1 projects. The remaining $5,000 raised at the Beach Ball will be held in the Friends general fund.
Donations to Friends of Lake Panorama are accepted at any time. Checks can be made payable to Friends of Lake Panorama and mailed to PO Box 488, Panora, Iowa, 50216. Direct donations also can be sent via Venmo @Panorama-Friends. Credit cards are accepted on the Friends website.
All donations are tax-deductible. Donors of $500 or more are recognized on the donor page of the Friends website. More information is available at www.friendsoflakepanorama.org.