Coming soon to a Beach near you -- Summer '03

By Carol Donlan

Barcroft News Staff

 

When does summer start?

Most folks say Memorial Day, but Lake Barcrofters know better. Summer leaves the blocks on Beach Clean Up Day (May 10), picks up speed during Sand Day (May 17) and is in full stride by Beach Opening Day. (May 24).

Beach Clean Up starts the summer season - and all summer you can take pride in your work. Show up at your nearest Beach on May 10 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Just two hours is all it takes if we get enough hands. Bring rakes, work gloves and any other tools to clean the beach and shore areas and haul out trash.

Beach Captains will be coordinating the activities. Overall chairman is Peter Browne of Barger Drive, co-chairman of the Beach & Water Safety committee. Peter reminds us that the Boat Auction is July 19. Boats without current Beach stickers will be taken to the WID Compound (on Boat Dock Drive) and auctioned. "The Boat Auction begins at 11 a.m.," says Peter, "so come early to inspect the boats."

Sand Day celebrates that glorious time between the delivery of new sand and raking it onto the Beach. There's a huge sand pile and lots of fun to be had. No wonder. It was started by Cricket Clayton, 11, of Lakeview Drive.

Way back in 2000, at age 8, Cricket got an idea, "They get these sand piles on the Beach and rake them out, and me and my brother used to play with them before they raked them out," Cricket says. "I decided more people would like to do this. I decided to organize an event.

"First, me and a friend down the street, Madeline Weeks, came up with a presentation for the LBA Board. It was to be an event where kids organize it. All the other events adults organize for the kids, why not kids organize something for kids?"

So Sand Day now has Sandcastle Building competitions, Digging for Treasure and other games. Newcomers' will sponsor its annual Sand Day Weenie Roast. Join in on May 17, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Beach 4.

Opening Day at our Beaches is Saturday May 24. Beaches 3 and 4 will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Beach 2 will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Beach 1 will be open on weekends from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. until school is out. Weekday hours will be posted later.

This year there will be a new patrol boat on the water to replace the 1968 Sea King (which was leaking). A 15-foot Prince Craft will be patrolling the Lake. Two important phone numbers:

              Beach 4 phone number -- for emergency use-- is 571-220-5578. Kevin Hardy's cell phone -- during Beach hours only -- is 571-437-0687.