Beach Ball Gives Boost to LPN Capital Fundraising Campaign
By Susan Thompson
A fundraising campaign to pay for needed improvements at the Lake Panorama National golf course received a boost when $30,000 from the Friends of Lake Panorama Beach Ball was earmarked for the campaign. At the end of June, direct donations to the campaign were at $10,750.
In the fall of 2023, the LPN board of managers began development of a comprehensive master plan for the golf course. This involved a thorough assessment of the course, with key personnel conducting a hole-by-hole golf course tour. The insights gained, combined with past planning documents, led to the identification and prioritization of key projects.
At its April 22 meeting, the LPN board approved a fundraising effort that focuses on Priority 1 projects identified in the LPN Golf Course Master Plan. Projects included in Priority 1 include expanding forward tee boxes, leveling and resodding main tee boxes, removing all railroad ties and where needed, replacing with the ties with block retaining walls, updates to the driving range and new tee signs and ball washers.
A $500,000 target for the first round of fundraising has been established. As funds become available, bids will be solicited for Priority 1 projects. No fundraising deadline has been set, as funds will continue to be raised until projects are completed.
Friends of Lake Panorama is partnering with LPN, which makes it possible for contributions to be tax deductible. All donors will receive a tax receipt.
One current promotion to encourage donations runs through Aug. 31. Those who donate $500 or more by Aug. 31 will automatically be entered into a drawing to win a 2025 LPN Single Golf Pass with trail fee or cart seat.
Every $500 earns the donor one entry, with no limit on the number of entries that can be earned. This promotion is exclusively for direct donations by individuals, couples or families, and cannot be combined with fundraising events.
Donations can be made by check payable to Friends of Lake Panorama and sent to PO Box 488, Panora, Iowa, 50216. Donations of securities (stocks, mutual funds, etc.) also are welcome, as are direct IRA qualified charitable distributions.
Direct donations also can be sent via Venmo @Panorama-Friends. Credit card donations can be made online at friendsoflakepanorama.org. To qualify for this promotion, credit card donations must include an extra $15 for every $500 donated to cover processing fees.
Upcoming fundraising events include a golf tournament Sept. 7, and 20 Men Who Can Cook Oct. 20, 4-7 p.m. Details on both events will be available soon.
Future projects included in the LPN golf course master plan include needed improvements to the maintenance shop and equipment storage, irrigation pumps and pump house, bunkers, the pond that impacts holes 12 and 13, the pond on the ninth hole, and cart paths.
Donors of $500 or more are recognized on the donor page of the Friends website and on the Lake Panorama National capital fundraising campaign page at lakepanoramanational.com.
2024 Beach Ball Raises $35,000
By Susan Thompson
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 had 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.
Fundraising Begins for LPN Golf Course Improvements
The stage is set for a fundraising campaign to pay for needed improvements at the Lake Panorama National golf course. The course first opened in 1971.
The stage is set for a fundraising campaign to pay for needed improvements at the Lake Panorama National golf course. The course first opened in 1971.
In the fall of 2023, the LPN board of managers began development of a comprehensive master plan for the golf course. This involved a thorough assessment of the course, with key personnel conducting a hole-by-hole golf course tour. The insights gained, combined with past planning documents, led to the identification and prioritization of key projects.
At its April 22, 2024, meeting, the LPN board approved a fundraising effort that focuses on Priority 1 projects identified in the LPN Golf Course Master Plan.
The Friends of Lake Panorama board of directors agreed to partner with LPN on this effort, which will allow donors who itemize at tax time to deduct their donation. The Friends board also agreed the LPN fundraising effort will be the priority project for the 2024 Beach Ball on June 21. 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.
Projects included in Priority 1 of the master plan include:
Forward Tee Boxes: Expand square footage, level, and sod with short variety Kentucky Bluegrass to accommodate increased play and allow for better turf recovery.
Main Tee Boxes: Level main Bentgrass tees and re-sod with Bentgrass. Final square footage will be based on construction bids and fundraising.
Railroad Ties and Landscaping: Remove all railroad ties surrounding tee boxes. Where necessary, replace with a block retaining wall. Remove landscaping surrounding tee boxes to simplify maintenance and mowing.
Driving Range: Replace railroad ties with a block retaining wall. Add a synthetic grass tee line to the back of the tee box, to use when the natural turf needs time to recover.
Tee Signs: Install 18 cast metal tee signs with Granite Club sponsor signs and ball washers. Also, pour concrete pads on six holes for current and future memorial benches.
The LPN board of managers set a $500,000 target for the first round of fundraising. As funds become available, bids will be solicited for Priority 1 projects. No fundraising deadline has been set, as funds will continue to be raised until projects are completed.
Future projects included in the LPN golf course master plan include needed improvements to the maintenance shop and equipment storage, irrigation pumps and pump house, bunkers, the pond that impacts holes 12 and 13, the pond on the ninth hole, and cart paths.
Fundraising for the LPN Priority 1 projects has begun. While Friends of Lake Panorama will commit a percentage of funds raised at the 2024 Beach Ball to Priority 1, LPN staff and board are developing additional fundraising strategies.
Donors contributing $500 or more will be recognized on both the Lake Panorama National Resort and Friends of Lake Panorama websites. All donors receive a tax receipt.
Donations of securities (stocks, mutual funds, etc.) are welcome, as are direct IRA qualified charitable distributions—for donors who are required to take forced IRA distributions. There are potential tax-saving benefits when considering either of these direct donation strategies. Check with your financial advisor for details.
Direct donations can be made by check payable to Friends of Lake Panorama, and mailed to Friends, PO Box 488, Panora, Iowa, 50216. Donations also can be made through Venmo @Panorama-Friends, or by credit card at friendsoflakepanorama.org.
For more information, visit www.lakepanoramanational.com or www.friendsoflakepanorama.org.