David Fields, of Consolidated Beverages, helped provided a wealth of information concerning our needs, in regards to quantities of ice (120 pounds), and the amount of refreshments needed to serve large groups of families. He was also instrumental in helping us design the signs to promote and advertise the barbecue.

In addition to food and beverages, there were boat rides that were enjoyed by many Webster residents, many of whom had never had the opportunity to enjoy a boat ride, or see the lake by boat (the boat was donated by Indian Ranch).

Several events were planned for the children, which included a visit by the Webster Fire Department. The children were able to enjoy seeing the equipment, and talking to the firemen in person. One fireman was also the lucky winner of one of the 50/50 contests! Other activities included face painting by Linda Littleton’s daughter and her friend, and our very own Howard Raphaelson, as the official balloon maker, who supplied most children with their very own balloon animals or hats.

Hourly children’s games were scheduled with prizes donated by Standard Source, and Dr. Christy Savas, DDS. The children enjoyed a very funny hula hoop contest, where all of the contestants were able to keep their hula hoops. Bob Craver ran the tug of war contest, which had everyone laughing and having a great time. There was also a 3-legged race with a parent and a child, competing against other families, all of whom were tied up in knots. There was a water balloon contest run by Carol Houlihan and Martha Sullivan, where many children also got soaked in the process.

Music was provided by Above and Beyond Entertainment in Worcester. They did a marvelous job of introducing all of the hourly events, and notices, throughout the day. The Pulaski Brass Band also provided all guests with a wonderful concert for 5 – 6 PM. Many guests, that never had the privilege of hearing them perform before, were pleasantly surprised by the variety of instruments, as well as the variety of musical numbers that were performed.

There was a 50/50 raffle winner every hour, and most hourly winnings were over $100 prizes.

The "Summer Barbecue on the Beach" also had the privilege of having two beautiful horses on display. They were owned by C & S Farms in Putnam, CT. Many children had their pictures with the horses, and it appeared the horses loved the attention.

It is estimated that several hundred people attended throughout the day.

The barbecue was intended to reach out to the community, and to emphasize the importance of Webster Lake as a community resource. Because of the barbecue’s success, the WLA will hold another one next year.

The Town of Webster not only made the beach available, but helped the WLA make the barbecue a success. The town Administrator, the selectmen, Dennis Westgate, of the Parks Department, and Chief Keefe from the Police Department helped provide information, and direction each time a stumbling block presented itself. Many members volunteered their time for the barbecue, as well as the Webster Pride, which was also a key contributor.

The WLA was formed two years ago as a non-profit organization to protect and preserve Webster Lake. All funds raised by the organization go to that effort. To date, the organization has funded a comprehensive survey to identify the problems facing the lake, including invasive weed populations. As a result, programs have been set up to continually monitor the lake, treat the invasive weed populations, and to correct storm water runoff, which causes sediment in the lake. Membership in the WLA is open to the general public.

Our next project is a 2005 calendar of antique postcards, which is surely to be a collector’s item. If you would like to purchase ad space in the calendar, please contact Judy Morrison at judithamorrison@hotmail.com. The cut-off date for the all ads is August 15, 2004.

Webster Lake is often an underestimated and underutilized resource of the community. Perhaps, in the future, more events of this type will be planned. Please visit our web site at www.websterlakeassociation.com often, to read about our current events, and projects, as they change throughout the year.