DePoy wins $1,095 in Labor Day Boat Poker Run at Glen Elder State Park

For the last few years, the Waconda Lake Camping club, local businesses and other community groups and volunteers have teamed up for several lake events. This year over Labor Day Weekend, Glen Elder State Park was able to be the location host of the Boat Poker Run, Boat Parade, Glen Elder Lions Club Tractor Parade, Glen Elder Library Golf Cart Poker Run, a food truck from Outlaw BBQ and Shadow Productions DJ Sunday Evening.

“We love being able to help plan and sponsor some of the great activities that take place at our Glen Elder State Park. It’s awesome seeing people come together and enjoy the great outdoors. With all that’s wrong with the world today, this feels right. You see an immense amount of patriotism through these events that warms the heart. The fact that we can have great events for lake campers and attendees is awesome! The fact it helps raise money for lake improvements that we all can benefit from is even better” said Lydia Housh, Camping Club volunteer and manager of Becker Autos & Trailers, Camper SuperCenter in Beloit.

The Labor Day Weekend boat poker run, boat parade and DJ were sponsored by local businesses including Shadetree Boat Repair, Schoen’s Auto Repair, Schoen Funeral Home & Monuments, Glen Elder Marina, Waconda Boats & Motors and Becker Autos & Trailers.

Unbelievably, local Shawn DePoy was the boat poker run grand prize winner for the 2nd year in a row and brought home $1,095 cash from this year’s event. $790 was raised this year and $750 in 2020 from the Boat Poker Run to benefit the Waconda Cultural Association for Lake Improvements. The Glen Elder Marina also helped raise money this year with their donut donations from the weekend. With LakeFest over July 4th and other lake activities, there has been over $30,000 raised for the WCA to go towards lake improvements just this year.

The Golf cart poker run was put together by local and library volunteers to benefit the Glen Elder Library. That event raised $905 for the library and the winner Shayna Deverman took home the $250 grand prize for high hand and Jim Reed $250 for low hand.

The tractor parade was put together by the Glen Elder Lions Club and started and ended at the park and included a parade through the campground to kick off their event. It has something they have been doing in past years, but change the route each year.

For more information on how to get involved next time or for future events, contact Lydia Housh of the Waconda Camping Club at 785-534-1227 or Lucille Heller at mckstourism@gmail.com.