Jan Reinicke
Friends of Lake Panorama is a 501(c)3 nonprofit charity dedicated to supporting recreational amenities at Lake Panorama. The first meeting of the Friends of Lake Panorama board was Dec. 3, 2013. An application for nonprofit status was filed with the IRS in January 2014 and approved in July of that year.
The charity is governed by a volunteer, seven-member board of directors. In this month’s Q&A, Jan Reinicke, Friends board president, talks about the charity’s past projects and new priorities.
Q. You’ve been a member of the Friends board since the first meeting in 2013 and board president since 2017. Why were you interested in serving on the Friends board?
A. Having been a part of the Lake Panorama community since the mid-1980s, it was easy to see the evolutionary changes occurring in the development. Over the years, it had become much more than a place for retirement or weekend enjoyment. There were more permanent residents and more families with children.
While the lake has always been the major attraction, there was then, and continues to be now, a growing need for more recreational opportunities. Friends of Lake Panorama is the perfect vehicle for bringing people together to develop partnerships, energize volunteers and raise the necessary funds to improve existing recreational amenities, while also proposing and developing new ones.
Q. What are some of the projects completed so far?
A. In our early years, fundraising focused on two projects, a destination playground at Sunset Beach and sports courts at Boulder Beach. The Sunset Beach playground opened in July 2016. The Boulder Beach sports courts opened in June 2018. Those projects were followed by additional playgrounds at all three beaches, and a small sports court at Sunset.
In August 2017, Friends received a $473,700 estate gift from Jim and Joyce McLuen to be used at the Panorama West golf course. This led to new irrigation, cart paths, tee signs and markers, trash receptacles, ball washers, turf improvement, clubhouse landscaping and sand trap renovations. This was an exciting example of the impact estate gifts to Friends of Lake Panorama can have on our community.
The Lake Panorama dog park opened in June 2022. Improvements to the Panorama West Nature Trail were completed that fall.
The addition of low-impact recreational amenities on Lake Panorama’s south shore began with a disc golf course in the fall of 2023. That was followed by improvements to existing trails, a dedicated parking area, shelter with picnic table, five benches and bluebird houses. This July, a dock was installed so boaters can access the recreational area from the lake.
Smaller projects have included a rain garden to slow runoff at the Panorama West parking lot, shade sails at Lake Panorama National, and new trees planted at the lake’s west entrance and beaches. Direct donations have made it possible to install more than 20 benches at the three beaches and two golf courses.
Q. How does Friends of Lake Panorama raise the funds to do these kinds of projects?
A. While there are many components to what Friends of Lake Panorama does, nothing is possible without donors. We are so grateful for all the financial support we’ve received from so many people and businesses over our first 12 years.
While some projects have been supported by specific fundraising efforts, our most successful fundraising event over the years has been the Friends of Lake Panorama Beach Ball. A Beach Ball was held both in 2016 and 2017 to help up wrap up funding for our first two big projects — Sunset Beach playground and Boulder Beach sports courts.
We took a couple of years off, but in 2020 we had our third Beach Ball, and we’ve continued annually since. We’ve enjoyed strong support at these fundraising events from both individuals and businesses and are already looking forward to our next Beach Ball, which is scheduled for Friday, June 12, 2026. We hope our veteran supporters plus new people interested in what we’re doing will turn out in force to again help us raise needed funds.
This year, for the first time, we’re trying a direct mail piece. Inserted into this November Lake Panorama Times is a card that highlights completed projects and our current priority projects.
The Friends board has been discussing the possibility of reaching all Lake Panorama property owners with a direct request for support. Since the Lake Panorama Times is mailed at no cost to all Lake Panorama Association members, we decided paying to print and insert this card would be a good way to reach our target audience.
We hope this card will encourage donations in the 2025 calendar year. If you’re reading this article and haven’t yet seen the card, I hope you’ll seek if out. It includes QR codes that will take you to Venmo and the Friends website to make direct donations, as well as the Friends mailing address for those who want to send a check.
Q. What are the current priority projects Friends is raising money to support?
A. The Friends board conducted a survey in April 2025 to gather ideas for new and improved recreational amenities. More options for walking paths at Lake Panorama was a frequent request from those completing the survey.
Brainstorming and research led to a new project of hard-surface walking paths at Sunset Beach and Boulder Beach. The LPA board approved this concept to create safer walking options at Lake Panorama by getting walkers off LPA’s narrow, winding roads.
Various surface options were considered, with concrete chosen because of its expected longevity. The concrete paths will be 6-feet wide and 5-inches thick.
The Boulder Beach loop will be one-half mile, with the Sunset Beach loop one-quarter mile. Bids were solicited with Caliber Concrete being awarded the project. Caliber Concrete is owned by Jason Martin, who has a home at Lake Panorama on Andrews Terrace.
The 2025 Beach Ball provided $10,000 seed money to each project. This leaves $30,000 to raise for the Sunset Beach path and $84,000 for the Boulder Beach path.
Donors of $500 or more will be recognized on signs near the walking paths, and on the Friends of Lake Panorama website. We’re also open to “naming rights” for these paths, or a portion of these paths, for donations of $25,000 or more.
In addition, Friends’ ongoing priority project is improvements to the Lake Panorama National golf course. Fundraising for this effort began in 2024 and will continue into the foreseeable future. Money raised in 2024 was used to renovate four forward tee boxes. Money raised this year is being used to renovate the course driving range. Future projects include new tee signs, renovated bunkers and additional tee box work.
Q. Friends works closely with the Lake Panorama Association. How important is that relationship?
A. While Friends strives to develop many working partnerships to carry out projects and fundraise, our most important relationship is with the Lake Panorama Association board and staff. None of the projects could have been completed without the approval, guidance and assistance of the LPA.
Projects proposed by Friends have to be maintained by the LPA, so it’s important we work with the LPA from conception to completion. I believe LPA members expect the Board to have a close and supportive relationship with Friends. We are fortunate to have a supportive board and staff as we work cooperatively to improve our community.
Q. Summarize how those interested can donate to Friends of Lake Panorama.
A. There are several donation options. Mail a check to Friends of Lake Panorama, P.O. Box 488, Panora, Iowa 50216. Include a note with your check so we know how you want your donation used.
Direct donations can be sent via Venmo @Panorama-Friends. Donations also can be made by credit card online at www.friendsoflakepanorama.org. Details about all past, present and future Friends projects also are on the Friends website.
Donations of securities (stocks, mutual funds, etc.) are welcome, as are direct IRA qualified charitable distributions.
All donations are tax-deductible and donors receive a confirmation letter for tax purposes. In these last few weeks of the year, I hope Friends supporters will consider a 2025 donation to support one or more of our priority projects or the Friends general fund.