Special to Lake Panorama Times
With 2026 underway, Friends of Lake Panorama has entered its 13th year of making a difference throughout the Lake Panorama community by improving existing recreational amenities and developing new ones.
Friends of Lake Panorama was established in 2013 in response to LPA members asking for ways they could give back to the community with an estate gift or other tax-deductible donations. The IRS granted Friends 501(c)(3) nonprofit status in July 2014.
The charity is governed by a volunteer, seven-member board of directors, which met for the first time Dec. 3, 2013.
The current Friends board held its 2026 organizational meeting Oct. 27, 2025.
At the meeting, Jay Merryman was appointed to a new three-year term on the board. He replaced John Muenzenberger, who served seven years as a member of the Friends board.
Current board members Galen Johnson and Jan Reinicke were reappointed to new three-year terms. Other board members are Jody Muench, Jim Tibbles, Jackie Wellik and Bill Winkleblack.
In officer elections, Reinicke was elected president, Tibbles vice president and Winkleblack secretary-treasurer.
Susan Thompson has served as the Friends of Lake Panorama executive director since it was formed. She announced at the October board meeting she plans to retire from that position in 2026.
On Dec. 16, the Friends board held a special meeting, where they voted to appoint Shanell Wagler as Thompson’s successor. Wagler will begin working with Thompson this spring and assume the executive director position by mid-summer.
Shanell and Dave Wagler have lived southeast of Panora since 2002. Shanell was a state employee for 33 years, where she worked as an administrator to build a statewide system of support and programming for parents of young children. She retired in 2023.
Wagler has volunteered with Friends of Lake Panorama for several years, providing key support for the annual Beach Ball fundraiser. In December, she completed six years of service on the Lake Panorama National Board of Managers. She also does volunteer work on the LPN golf course, and is an active member of the Panora Garden Club and several other local organizations.
“The Friends board is pleased to carry on its work with the Lake Panorama community through the leadership of Shanell Wagler,” says Jan Reinicke, board president. “Her credentials in her previous employment and volunteer activities are outstanding. Her connections to the community are deep and she’s demonstrated a commitment to improving the quality of life at Lake Panorama. We believe we have found the best possible candidate to help lead us forward as Susan retires.”
The 2026 Friends of Lake Panorama Beach Ball is scheduled for Friday, June 12. This annual fundraising event will be held at The Captain’s Pick at Lake Panorama National Resort. More details will be available in April.
Current fundraising priorities are concrete walking paths at Boulder and Sunset beaches, plus an ongoing campaign to pay for needed improvements at the Lake Panorama National golf course.
In the last six weeks of 2025, more than $8,000 was donated by individuals and couples to support the work of Friends of Lake Panorama.
Donations can be made at any time, and donors receive a letter of thanks that can be used during tax preparation.
Donations can be made by check payable to Friends of Lake Panorama, and mailed to Friends of Lake Panorama, P.O. Box 488, Panora, IA 50216. Direct donations can be sent via Venmo @Panorama-Friends. Donations also can be made by credit card on the Friends website at friendsoflakepanorama.org.
Donations of securities (stocks, mutual funds, etc.) are welcome, as are direct IRA qualified charitable distributions.
Details on past, present and future projects are on the Friends website. Friends also has a Facebook page. Those with questions or comments can send an email to staff@friendsoflakepanorama.org.