The annual Lake Leelanau Poker Float fundraiser is set to be held once again on Sunday, July 21, with this year’s theme being “Countries of the Olympics.” This will be the second year the event takes to the water to help raise funds and awareness about controlling the invasive Eurasian Watermilfoil in Lake Leelanau. All funds raised will go towards the Friends of Lake Leelanau, a local nonprofit dedicated to protecting and enhancing the quality and beauty of the lake, including financing the prevention, monitoring, and control of invasive species.
“This lake really sustains all of the businesses and all the home owners and we don’t want that milfoil in this lake,” said Paula Todd, Lake Leelanau Poker Float creator and committee member. “The Poker Float itself is an independent organization. This is year two, so this is all new to all of us. The idea behind it is to organize a fun community family-friendly event that will raise funds for a local organization… We really are trying to include as much of the community as we can.”
Last year, the event theme was centered on the idea of “my hometown,” and people who participated as dock hosts along the poker float route made the effort to decorate their stops based on where they’re from. This time around, people can expect docks to have decorations up based on countries participating in the summer Olympics. Dock hosts will also be competing for “best dock” designation, with participants voting on their favorite stops while attempting to fill out their scorecards. The best dock winner gets to keep the prize, an antique floating device, at their dock until the next poker float event.
