Six hundred pounds of ice, two misters, two water slides and lots of ice cream helped make for a cool 15th Annual Big Day at the Lake on Saturday, July 20. More than 75 Boat Host families hosted more than 130 kids from Big Brothers Big Sisters for a full day of fun.

It started with boating, swimming and tubing on Lake Norman, then a picnic for more than 500 at the Energy Explorium at McGuire Nuclear Station. Virtually every aspect of this daylong event is cost-free to the organization and its participants, thanks to a variety of donations from local restaurants.

In addition, the NC Legislature and Mayor Woody Washam proclaimed July 20 as Big Day at the Lake Day.

This event is made possible through a large number of corporate sponsors, individual donors and volunteers. This year’s presenting sponsors include Atrium Health, Champion Tire & Wheel, Ckezepis Law and Wells Fargo.

The concept is simple.  Most of the children have never had the opportunity to go to Lake Norman to boat, swim or fish.  Through Big Day, Lake Norman families serve as “Boat Hosts” and take the “Bigs and Littles” out for a morning of Lake activities.  Each child comes with a built-in chaperone—his or her “Big.”

The event brings people together who wouldn’t otherwise come together—a societal positive in the Charlotte region which ranks last in the ability of those born in or near poverty to move up the socio-economic ladder.

A lack of “social capital”—knowing people in better circumstances—is a big part of the problem.

The fundraising goal for this year was $150,000, which was exceeded in early July.

Big Day at the Lake has raised nearly $2 million in support of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Carolinas over the past 15 years.

For more information on Big Day at the lake, visit www.bigdayatthelake.com

 

Big Day at the Lake Volunteers

Blake Bernard

Bob Van Buskirk

Rich Bottles

Cathy Bentz

Vicki Jankoski

Clarckson Meredith

Cherese Spand

Cindy Leigh

Debbie Sielemann

Debbie Monroe

David Belacic

Gerrans Mei

Jan Belter

John Aneralla

Jim Duke

Jennifer Spence

Jennifer Secrist

Jessica Berch

Jill Young

Hilda Joann Helms

John Donnelly

John Bradford

Kelsey Masterson

Leslie Michaels

Lisa Koch

Leslie Lanza

Mary Gannon

Sandra Jankoski

Natasha Marcus

Nicki Kropf

Angi Sklar

Sara Sleik

Sandi Vallario

Tom Leonhardt

Trevor Jones

Woody Washam

Sharon Washam

Jessie Lafler

Gary Garcia

Russ Smith

Judy Smith

Jim Christol

Vic Black

Alex James

Cole Frederick

Duncan Macfadyen

Reid Bachand

Pamela Smith

Reid Larsen

John Akin

Dakota Seal

Jill Woodruff

Ava Lanza

Joni Dunn

Ami Jackson

Anna Robinson

Ann Miltich

Robert Rickard

 

Big Day at the Lake Boat Hosts

Misha Ahern

Denice Anderson

Jeff Arbaugh

Steve & Jen Arpin

Tom Barone

Jared Barrow

Denis Bilodeau

Deborah & Lee Brower

Ron Bruce

Joe Brusa

Clarence Bush

April Buttner

Rick Cushing

Rafic Dahan

Nathan Davis

Michael Allen DeGifford

Jose Edwards

Mindi and Bill Ellison

Chris and Gina Fieber

Marty Fox

Josh & Paige Greenwald

Doug Grindstaff

Patrick Halsch

David Hansen

Mike Harms

Diana Highter

Robert and Jill Holman

Michelle Ivester-Rhyne

Marc Jacobsen

John H Johnson

Susan & Bobby Joosten

Lois Kincaid

David & Lisa Koppenhofer

Howard Kresner

Glenn Lamb

Keith Lerme

Paul and Marty Mack

Josephy Mahaffey

Douglas Marion

James Martino

John McClelland

Jason McDonald

Mark Meleski

Mike Mergenthaler

Joe Miller

Michael Miltich

Melissa Mishler

Dylan Mullins

Kelly Munn

Cecelia Myers

Patrick Oram

Bill & Debbie Pellerin

Jim Robertson

Frank ‘Marshall’ Seguin

Kevin Senter

Brian Sisson

Mike  Snowdy

Brent Sparks

Tracey and Dan Stehle

Randolph Barton Stephenson

J.C. Stevens

Amber Strunck

Jeff Tarte

Gary/Gail Treen

Rob Walley

Bob & Lois Watson

Christine Weigle

Dan  Williams

Daniel Yeckley

David Yochum

David Ziegler

 

Big Day at the Lake Logistics Team

Rob Rickard

Ann and Bob McIntosh

Chris Epps

Heidi Hansen

Katie Tischer

Ryan Feguson

Danny Lambert