​Friends of Lake Norman State Park Membership Update


Greetings everyone.  Hope you all have been enjoying the summer and have made it out to Lake Norman State Park to take advantage of this wonderful community asset!  I’m Michael Polzin and I am the President of the Board of the Friends of Lake Norman State Park (FLANO).  Since our initial meeting back in March, a great deal has happened and I wanted to update you on all of our progress.  Key accomplishments to date include:
· Our group submitted for and was approved by the North Carolina Friends of State Parks as a fully sanctioned FSP Chapter along with approximately 35 other Friends groups throughout the state.
· We have set up various financial management tools including currency and online payment systems, bank accounts, and a post office box to manage membership fees and donations in support of Park improvements.
· We have developed a great logo (see attached) thanks to the great efforts of one of our Board members – Kathie Kemp.
· We have a beautiful full color brochure about the group thanks to the combined efforts of Kathie Kemp and Debbie Page who designed the brochure and Alison Hemingfield whose company had several thousand printed for us for free
· We have developed and launched an excellent web page thanks to Debbie Page.  If you haven’t already, check it out at www.friendsoflakenormanstatepark.org
· We have participated in several community events such as a Bike-a-thon at the park, Troutman’s Party in the Park, and an event with REI.
· We now have 22 paid members and have raised almost $1000 to be used for Park improvements.
Not bad for just 5 months and this is only the beginning.  The first big project we are going to help support is a complete renovation of the Group Campground.  It’s a high priority project for the Park Rangers and it will bring in more visitors to the park.  We are also considering new initiatives on trail development/maintenance as well as a recycling program to collect discarded fishing line that can harm the wildlife in the Park.
 
At this time we are looking to continue to expand our membership and make ourselves better known to residents of the area and to local businesses.   To that end, we have recently established two committees. The first is the Out Reach committee.  This committee will develop programs and identify local events that we can use to get out the word about the park and our group.  For example, one event that we recently supported was the Bio-Blitz the Park held this past weekend.  This event brought in local wildlife and plant experts so that the Rangers could better catalogue all the species residing in the Park.  It was a great way to get out and explore the park!
 
The second committee is the Sponsorship committee.  This committee will focus on getting in contact with local business (big and small) with the aim of getting those businesses to donate money and/or equipment, or allow us to partner with them on events.   We have had some great support already thanks to the good people at REI and we know that many other businesses would be interested in getting involved as well.
 
We are looking to get some additional people to get involved with these committees and help take our group to the next level.  We aren’t asking for a huge time commitment as we all have busy enough lives already, just a few hours here and there to attend committee meetings and participate in executing some of the events/programs that you would be helping to develop.  If you would be interested in getting involved, please let us know which committee you would like to join.  If you prefer not to be on a committee but are interested in volunteering to help in other ways, please let us know that as well.
 
We are very excited about what this group has achieved thus far and are looking forward to making continuing contributions to our favorite local attraction - Lake Norman State Park.
 
Thanks to you all for your interest and I hope to hear from many of you soon.
 
Sincerely,  
 
Michael Polzin, President    

​Board of Directors Meeting
Friends of Lake Norman State Park 
September 25, 2018
Lake Norman State Park Visitor’s Center

President Michael Polzin called the meeting to order at 6:11 p.m.  Those in attendance and constituting a quorum were:
Present:  Michael Polzin, Jeff Cooper, Katie Gradert, Jenni Wyatt, Kathie Kemp, Debbie Page, Ashley Thompson & ex-Officio Advisor Greg Schneider
Absent:   Alison Hemingfield, Shannon Johnson, James Pogue & Vicki Taylor
Visitor:  O.C. Stonestreet

Current Business:

Introduction of new Board Member:  President Michael Polzin welcomed Ashley Thompson to the Board and introduced her to the other Board members.  Ashley was appointed by the Executive Committee to fulfill the term of Jeff Pelchat who resigned from the FLANO Board on 8/23/2018.  Ashley Thompson confirmed her willingness to serve on the Communications/Outreach committee.

History Presentation scheduled for Tuesday, October 16th from 6:30-8:00 p.m. at the Community Building:  Historian, author & columnist O.C. Stonestreet was introduced to the Board as our speaker for this event.  He brought samples of his columns and one of his books for the Board to review.  He briefly discussed the proposed content of his presentation.  O.C. plans to talk for 40 minutes and then open the floor for discussion.  A schedule for the evening was planned.  Greg Schneider will open with a welcome and brief overview of park amenities.  Michael Polzin will give an overview of FLANO goals/achievements to date and then issue an invitation for those present to join FLANO.  Greg Schneider will present the Heroism Award to Rich Goad.  O.C. will give a 40-minute talk and PowerPoint presentation followed by a 20-minute question/answer period.  O.C. will be provided with a table for book signing and sales.  Refreshments will be served before and after the event. 
ACTION ITEMS:  Michael Polzin volunteered to provide the spiced cider.  Katie Gradert will ask for decaf Starbuck coffee donation and find a rental popcorn machine.  Left-over water/snacks from Bio-Blitz will be used.  Katie Gradert will obtain equipment needed for the PowerPoint presentation.  Michael Polzin, Katie Gradert, Jenni Wyatt & Jerry Wyatt will help with set up of room, FLANO table and refreshments.  Park Staff will have a fire in fireplace that evening or instruct FLANO how to do this. Debbie Page, Kathie Kemp & Ashley Thompson will man the FLANO table before and after the event.  Katie Gradert and Ashley Thompson, Jenni Wyatt & Jerry Wyatt will clean up after event.  Debbie Page will write a press release and publish it in area media outlets. Debbie Page will design a flyer for the event.  Jeff Cooper offered to have a flyer printed to distribute in the area.  Board members unable to attend tonight’s meeting are urged to help promote and participate in this FLANO outreach event.  

NLD Trail Building Event on Saturday, September 29, 9 a.m.-12n
ACTION ITEMS:  Jeff Cooper will set up the FLANO tent and man it from 8:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m.  Jerry & Jenni Wyatt will man the tent from 10 a.m.-12n.

Get Fit, Sunday, September 30, 2-4 p.m.
ACTION ITEMS:  Debbie Page will be there early to set-up with Get Fit sponsors.  Ashley Thompson and Jenni Wyatt will man the FLANO tent.  Jerry Wyatt and the Polzin family will lead Alder Trail hikes.  

Back-Country Clean-up Day & Bio-Blitz  Greg Schneider reported on the success of both events.  Eleven volunteers and three park staff participated in Back-Country Clean-up Day.  Over 500 pounds of trash and electrical wire were removed from the park.  $337.06 in funds were donated to FLANO from the recycled metal proceeds.  76 volunteers participated in Bio-Blitz.  All the numbers of the species collected have yet to be entered in the database.  It appears that there will be around 500 more species identified and added to the species list at Lake Norman State Park.  Greg expressed his appreciation to FLANO for helping with the event and preparing/serving meals to the volunteers.  Special thanks were extended to Shannon Johnson and Debbie Page who planned meals, shopped for groceries, donated and prepared food, and provided serving dishes, etc.  They far exceeded the park’s expectations and served with excellence.  A very special thanks to both their husbands too!

Treasurer’s Report:  Katie Gradert distributed copies of the quarterly report to Board members.  This also included the number of hours worked  at FLANO volunteer and outreach events.

Committees Email Letter Update:  Michael Polzin and Jeff Cooper reported that the letter is ready for distribution.
ACTION ITEM:  Katie Gradert will email this letter to FLANO members.

Joy Shuck personally donated an event tent to FLANO
ACTION ITEM:  All Board members, if you haven’t already done so, please email and thank Joy Shuck for her generosity.

Group Camp Update:  Katie Gradert submitted grant proposal to Joy Shuck at REI.  Joy responded that, if approved, the grant funds would not be available until May 2019.  Greg Schneider was willing to wait until funds are available.   
ACTION ITEM:  Katie will communicate to Joy Shuck that this time frame is acceptable and will continue to pursue REI grant funding.   

T-Shirt Update:  Katie Gradert & Kathie Kemp reported that cost of t-shirts greater than anticipated and do not want to deplete FLANO reserves.  Several options were discussed including pre-ordering t-shirts, having individuals front the cost of the shirts or asking NCFSP to front the cost.
ACTION ITEM:  Katie Gradert will contact NCFSP to see if they will advance FLANO the funds to purchase t-shirts and then pay back NCFSP when t-shirts are sold.  
Next Board Meeting is October 9, 2018 at 6:00 p.m.  

Meeting adjourned at 7:21 p.m.
Minutes submitted for approval by President Michael Polzin on 9/25/18.

THANKS TO Eagle Scout Candidate Christopher (Kit) Stuckey of Boy Scout Troop 171, sponsored by Williamson Chapel United Methodist Church, for making $73.15  donation to the Friends of Lake Norman State Park. 

Stuckey has just completed his Eagle Scout project in Lake Norman State Park. He purchased materials, built four benches, and then installed them in the area of the park's beach. The benches are very popular and have been used every day since installation.  

The donation to FLANO is from the surplus funds raised for his Eagle Scout project. Lake Norman State Park and FLANO are very appreciative of the much needed benches and the donation.