Annual family breakfast set

Kicking off the summer for property owners of Syracuse and Wawasee lakes is a joint breakfast of the Wawasee Property Owners Association and Syracuse Lake Association. This annual event, known as the family breakfast, provides an opportunity for neighbors to catch up with each other on events during the winter months, meet and make new friends.The breakfast will be from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday, June 25, at the Oakwood Inn. The menu will include pancakes, scrambled eggs, biscuits and gravy bacon, sausage, assorted fruit, coffee, tea and juice. The cost is $10 for adults and $6 for children.The event also is an opportunity for local nonprofit organizations to share information. Many organizations such as the Wawasee Area Conservancy Foundation, Cancer Care Fund of Kosciusko County, Kosciusko County Community Foundation, Chautauqua Wawasee, Syracuse-Wawasee Chamber of Commerce, Syracuse-Wawasee Trail Committee, and many others, have representatives there to answer questions and distribute information.The Wawasee Flotilla Committee utilizes the event to sell souvenir T-shirts carrying the logo for that year’s Flotilla. The shirts (and sweatshirts) are always a hit.Another highlight for many, however, is the opportunity to go above the tree tops in the bucket of the Turkey Creek Fire Territory’s ladder truck and for the youngsters to sit in the airboat and pretend to drive. The fire department is on hand with its equipment to let the residents view what tax money is used for.The breakfast is just one of the many events the WPOA hosts and activities for the association.WPOA board members continue monitoring areas that may affect the quality of the lake water and development around the lake. Committees such as legislative and orderly development keep abreast of happenings. The group also assists with keeping the lake safe and enjoyable for all who use it through the support of the lake patrol, which has 12 active patrol officers and three boats plus a personal watercraft. The association also supports the efforts of WACF and Center for Lakes & Streams.Recently the WPOA funded a major rehabilitation of the pump-n-dump at the public access launch on the Wawasee Area Family Fishing site.WPOA hosts an annual meeting each year in late August. This year’s meeting will be a dinner cruise on the SS Lilly Pad Saturday, Aug. 20. The cruise will leave the Frog at 6:30 p.m. Reservations are recommended. A part of this event is the presentation of the annual Chief Award, given to someone who has supported the WPOA in a variety of ways.To make reservations for the annual breakfast or the dinner contact the WPOA office at (574) 457-7172.