Postcard day for Wawasee Flotilla’s Pirate Parade

REIGNING CHAMPIONS, TWO YEARS RUNNING — This year’s winner of the Commodore Award was the Jim Kroemer family with their entry “Yes I’m A Pirate 200 Years Too Late.” Commodore Ron Baumgartner and wife Tami are shown presenting the trophy to the family during the parade. (Photo by Deb Patterson)
Each year the creativity of entries outdo the year before. This year was no exception.
Pirate-themed entries, patriotic decorated boats, business participation, and combination themes of pirates and lake life, were seen. Some were in costumes. Even the two shore entries went all out with their decorations and role playing. Music was played from several entries along with the shooting of cannons.
- THIS PIRATE MAN FOUND HIS PARROT COMPANION FOR THE DAY ON LAKE WAWASEE
- THESE YOUNG PIRATES TAKE A BREAK TO SHARE A SMILE AND A WAVE
Ron Baumgartner, commodore for the 2015 Flotilla, took a look at each entry before making his choice as the Commodore Winner, and started the parade around Lake Wawasee.
“It was a postcard day, you couldn’t ask for anything better,” said Holly Tuttle, Flotilla chairwoman, echoed by committee member Lisa Hill. The judges had a hard time choosing the winners for the various prizes, with two last minute categories — Most Family Fun and Most Spirited — added and will be included in future flotillas.
Additionally the Flotilla Committee announced the theme for the 55th Flotilla will be “Christmas In July.” The date will be announced later.
Starting the parade was a large group of wooden and antique boats, followed by the commodore’s boat and the 14 flotilla entries. Winners were announced at the Wawasee Spink following the parade. Photos of the entries have been posted on the Wawasee Flotilla’s Facebook page for the public to participate in the People’s Choice Award. The voting ends Monday. This award will be announced at the Flotilla Cruise on the SS Lilly Pad, Aug. 8.
This year’s winner of the Commodore Award was the Jim Kroemer family with their entry “Yes I’m A Pirate 200 Years Too Late.” This is the second year in the row the Kroemer family won the coveted trophy.
Additional winners were:
WPOA Award — Women of Today
DNR Award — Bob McNary family
Wawasee History Award — Kanata Manayunk Association
Neighborhood Award — The Kendall family
List Family Award (Most Original) — Steve Imler
Most Patriotic Award — Lakeland Youth Center
Most Family Fun — Deb Farmer family
Most Spirited — Molly Marsh
Wooden Boat Award — Luke Knecht, first; Jim Young, second
Antique Boat Award — Kevin Wallberg, first; and Jim Klotz, second.
Business/Commercial Award — Remax Realty, first; and Mercury Internet, second
Non-Profit Award — Wawasee Yacht Club
Youth Award — Emma Johnson, first; Roxy Morgan, second; Michael Violi, third; and The Hollister Family, fourth.
The Neighborhood Shore Participation Award — Wawasee Spink received first and the Zipfel Family took second.
- SYRACUSE REMAX EARNED THE FIRST PLACE TITLE FOR THE BUSINESS/COMMERCIAL AWARD
- EMMA JOHNSON TOOK HOME FIRST PLACE WITH HER YOUTH PIRATE PARADE ENTRY. ROXY MORGAN WAS AWARDED SECOND PLACE
- THE MOST PATRIOTIC ENTRY FOR THE 2015 FLOTILLA CAME FROM LAKELAND YOUTH CENTER
- THE DARK N STORMY, OWNED BY KEVIN WALLBERG, WON FIRST PLACE IN THE ANTIQUE BOATS. THE GAR WOOD BOAT WAS FILLED WITH GUEST PIRATES
- THE NEIGHBORHOOD AWARD WENT TO THE KENDALL FAMILY
- LUKE KNECHT WON FIRST PLACE WITH HIS WOODEN BOAT. SECOND PLACE WAS AWARDED TO JIM YOUNG
- THE “NAUTI PIRATE” ENTRY FROM BOB MCNARY AND FAMILY TOOK HOME THE DNR AWARD
- MOLLY MARSH’S PIRATE ENTRY TOOK HOME THE MOST SPIRITED AWARD FOR THE 2015 FLOTILLA ON LAKE WAWASEE
- THE NON-PROFIT AWARD WAS PRESENTED TO THE WAWASEE YACHT CLUB
- WOMEN OF TODAY’S FLOTILLA ENTRY EARNED THE WPOA AWARD
- DEB FARMER’S FAMILY TOOK HOME THE AWARD FOR MOST FAMILY FUN
- THE TIKI BAR ENTRY BY STEVE IMLER WAS PRESENTED By THE LIST FAMILY (MOST ORIGINAL) AWARD