“Video Games” is the theme for Clark Lake’s Raft-O-Rama this summer. After every Raft-ORama, the committee polls fans for what they would like to see as the next theme. For several
years, Video Games has come up as a popular choice.
Some have wondered if Video Games limits participation to only one generation. Not so. Nearly
every board game as its video cousin. You can play Monopoly on your Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4™
system, or PS3™ system. Same with checkers and a long list of others.
Following tradition, Raft-O-Rama takes place the first Sunday in
August. At 10:30 am August 4th, the parade of decorated rafts
assembles at the west end of the lake, and follow the shoreline in a
counter-clockwise direction.
The rafts pass by Eagle Point Marina, where they are
photographed for the People’s Choice award. Once the photos are printed, viewers of the parade
cast their vote at the Raft-O-Rama main tent on Eagle Point. Later, photographs of the rafts,
accompanied by the winning teams, can be found on the Clark Lake Spirit Foundation’s website,
www.clarklakespirit.com.
Winning categories extend well beyond the People’s Choice Award: Best Overall Adult, Best
Overall Youth, Most Enthusiastic, Most Original, Funniest, Best Costumes, Closest to the Theme,
Most Colorful, Best Special Effects, Furthest from Theme, Attention to Detail, and Rookie Award.
Those categories are judged anonymously by a different group each year. No competitor knows
who they are. In fact, only two people in the entire Clark Lake population have that knowledge, and
they aren’t talking.
Eagle Point is the epicenter of activity. That’s where visitors and participants will find the Clark
Lake Lions Club grilled chicken and roasted corn dinners, the band, silent auction, games, and fun
events for kids.
Some people wonder about the name Raft-O-Rama. Aren’t these crafts actually pontoon boats?
The answer requires a review of Clark Lake’s past. The idea of a motor-powered floating platform
originated at Clark Lake. The concept took off here first. Before long companies sprang up
manufacturing more sophisticated versions. Pontoons replaced tied-together 55-gallon drums
and steering mechanisms allowed better navigation. As of July 4, 2019, there were 608 rafts at
Clark Lake. And at Clark Lake, they are definitely called “rafts”, not pontoon boats.
The first Raft-O-Rama took place 59-years ago. Bowser Eagy, a name known to longtime Clark
Lakers, is credited as a moving force behind its genesis. Since then, caring for Raft-O-Rama has
been in the hands of generations of committee members. All have been united on the basis of one
overriding concept—their love of Clark Lake.
Contact: Dan Omo, (517) 937-0424, domodan@gmail.com
Find a complete rundown of the Ten Things You Need to Know about Raft-O-Rama at this web
address: https://www.clarklakespirit.com/raft-o-rama-10-things/. To review last year’s rafts
and winners, go to https://www.clarklakespirit.com/raft-o-rama-2018-results/