By Susan Thompson | Lake Panorama Times

In late July, a small dock was installed on the south shore to provide water access to the recreational amenities there. Funds for the $10,000 dock were raised at both the 2024 and 2025 Friends of Lake Panorama Beach Balls. 

This past April, the Friends board conducted a survey to gather feedback on completed projects plus ideas for new and improved recreational amenities and beautification efforts. 

This 6-feet-wide dock, with a 4-feet-wide plank from the dock to shore is located on the south shore trail. Immediately ahead, users can take the trail up the hill through timber to a meadow area. A left will take users along the lake shoreline.

After securing approval from the LPA board of directors, Friends moved forward with plans for the 6-feet-wide roll-in dock, with a 4-feet-wide plank from the dock to shore. It is located in the large cove immediately north of the Lake Panorama dam, which is a no-wake area. 

This dock allows boaters to tie up and access the south shore trails and disc golf course from the water. It is located directly on the trail. Immediately ahead, users can take the trail up the hill through timber to a meadow area. A left will take users along the lake shoreline. From the shoreline, there are three additional trail sections through the timber to the meadow. 

Plans are to have a small sign near the dock by next spring to detail trail options and the disc golf course location. When accessing the south shore recreation area from Chimra Road, signs near the parking area, disc golf course and trailhead provide this information. 

Maps of the south shore trail and golf course can be downloaded from the Lake Panorama Association website. From the “Documents” tab, choose the “Miscellaneous” folder, then “Walking Trails/Disc Golf.” The website is lakepanorama.org. 

Each year, the Panora Women’s Service Organization (WSO) conducts fundraising activities to make it possible to provide a scholarship to a Panorama Community School graduating senior. This year’s recipient is Arilyan Steenblock. She is shown with Beth Muenzenberger and Nancy Loeck, members of the WSO scholarship committee. Steenblock plans to attend Creighton University, majoring in nursing with an emphasis on women’s health. The WSO’s annual home tour is the group’s major fundraiser and funds this renewable $500 scholarship each year, making four scholarships paid annually. This year’s home tour was June 6. 

By Susan Thompson | Lake Panorama Times

For the fifth year in a row, Panora will host the Raccoon River Valley Walk to End Alzheimer’s. This year’s walk is Saturday, Sept. 20. These fundraising events are held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide and constitute the world’s largest fundraiser for Alzheimer’s care, support and research.

There are 19 walks scheduled in Iowa this fall with the Panora walk being the smallest town to host one. Others are in cities such as Ames, Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Des Moines, Fort Dodge, Harlan, Iowa City, Muscatine, Storm Lake and more. 

The Raccoon River Valley Walk begins at the Michael Mills Memorial Park at Southeast Fifth Street in Panora. Registration starts at 8:30 a.m. Raccoon Valley Radio will be broadcasting and playing music. New this year is a breakfast food truck to help fuel participants.

An opening ceremony will begin at 9:30 a.m. That will be followed immediately by the two-mile walk that includes a portion of the Raccoon River Valley Trail. 

Melissa Borgeson, executive director at The Lakeside Village, is the local committee chair for the Panora walk. 

“My mom was diagnosed with vascular dementia the first year we did the walk here in Panora,” Borgeson says. “So, not only do I work with Alzheimer’s, I also now face it personally with my mom. I would love nothing more than to see a world without the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.” 

Alzheimer’s kills more than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. One in three seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or another dementia. More than seven million Americans are living with the disease. In 2025, Alzheimer’s and other dementias are projected to cost the United States $384 billion. This number is projected to rise to nearly $1 trillion in 2050.

While there is no fee to register for the walk, all participants are encouraged to raise funds that allow the Alzheimer’s Association to provide 24/7 care and support, and advance research toward methods of prevention, treatment and, ultimately, a cure. The Alzheimer’s Association is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization. All donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. 

Every registered participant who achieves the fundraising minimum of $100 will receive by mail an official Walk to End Alzheimer’s T-shirt. 

Anyone interested in volunteering to help with the Sept. 20 walk, or who would like to start a team, join an existing team, or make a donation, can get more information and register online at https://act.alz.org. Under “Find a Walk,” enter the Panora zip code of 50216.

Lake Panorama and its property owners benefit because of reduced sediment coming down the river and reduced nutrients that contribute to algae blooms. 

By Susan Thompson | Lake Panorama Times

A watershed is an area of land where all the water that falls within it drains to a common outlet, such as a river or lake. Lake Panorama’s watershed covers 271,900 acres in Guthrie, Carroll and Greene counties. This means the lake’s water quality could be impacted by what happens anywhere within those acres. 

The Lake Panorama Rural Improvement Zone (RIZ) is a local government body formed in 1998 under Iowa Code Chapter 357H. RIZ makes it possible for a portion of Lake Panorama property tax dollars to be used for erosion control, sediment removal and water quality improvements.

An effort to improve the lake’s water quality began in 2022 with a cost-share program that encourages farmers within the Lake Panorama watershed to plant cover crops. 

That first year, two farmers enrolled 372 acres. In 2023, 11 farmers enrolled 1,320 acres. In 2024, 16 farmers enrolled more than 3,128 acres. 

RIZ would like to have more than 5,000 acres enrolled this fall. To help spread the word about the RIZ cover crop program, a special event was held June 30 at The Captain’s Pick at Lake Panorama National Resort. It included breakfast and a presentation about the cover crop program, followed by a golf tournament. 

Invitations were mailed to people in the Lake Panorama watershed who own row crop acres that would be eligible for cover crop cost share. About 50 people attended the breakfast and presentation with 32 staying to play golf afterwards.

Lane Rumelhart, Lake Panorama Association (LPA) projects manager, organized the event and gave a short presentation after breakfast. 

“I explained what RIZ is, where RIZ funding comes from, and how the RIZ cover crop program functions,” he says. 

The cover crop program has two steps. The first is for landowners to get their acres pre-approved. 

“I take applications and ensure all the acres being applied for are within our watershed boundaries,” Rumelhart says. “Once I check that on our GIS software, I let the producer know they are either good to go or inform them if any land falls outside the Lake Panorama watershed boundary.” 

Once the crop has been seeded, the operator completes the reimbursement application. 

“RIZ reimburses $15 per acre,” Rumelhart says. “We ask that they attach the invoice from whatever company put the crop on, the date it was applied, and what type of cover crop they planted. I visit these fields in late fall to see how they look, and if necessary, make another visit in the spring to see the coverage.” 

Rumelhart says the RIZ cover crop program is a “win-win” scenario for both Lake Panorama and farming operations upstream. 

“Cover crops are beneficial for farmers because these retain topsoil, slow down the impact of heavy rainfall, add organic matter, retain snow moisture, provide additional feed for livestock, and in some cases, add natural nutrients back to the soil,” he says. 

Rumelhart says Lake Panorama and its property owners benefit because of reduced sediment coming down the river and reduced nutrients that contribute to algae blooms. 

“This program offers a nice bridge between the LPA membership and property owners upstream who otherwise would not be affiliated with Lake Panorama or RIZ,” he says. 

“The cover crop program also has led to new relationships with some farmers. These relationships help RIZ look at other water quality projects that take more time and effort, such as wetland sites,” Rumelhart says. “By having a simple and easy cost share program, landowners gain familiarity with our team and become more open to conversations about other water quality projects.”

The RIZ program requires a minimum of 20 contiguous acres be enrolled. Acres that are part of other cost share programs still are eligible. 

Pre-approval applications must be submitted by Nov. 30 and approval by RIZ confirmed prior to planting. After the cover crop has been planted, reimbursement applications can be submitted, with a Dec. 31 deadline. 

Those attending the June 30 event received the pre-approval and reimbursement forms in person. Forms can be accessed on RIZ’s website (lakepanoramariz.org), or by calling Rumelhart at the LPA office, 641-755-2301.