While you might have a birthday every year, not every year marks your 50th and reaching that number often deserves a special occassion.
Lake Anna turned 50 this year and the Lake Anna Business Partnership wanted to throw a celebration that everyone could enjoy as well as help to raise funds for a worthwhile community cause.
“This celebration to mark the 50th birthday of the lake was part of our Celebrating 50 Years of Lake Anna Love marketing campaign – the goal of which was to create the right kind of image of lake life here, participate in a community fundraising effort and provide our members with an opportunity to reach more customers,” said LABP President C.C. McCotter.
“I wanted to thank our hosts, Brian Gilbreth and his staff at Lake Anna Taphouse, performers Lance Wolack and Mercy Creek, LABP Administrative Assistant Anne Mintz, LABP volunteers like Jeff and Jean Martin, Libby Sandridge, Liz Wilson, Lindsey McClellan, Jamie Thomas, Lonnie Carter, Steve Harler and all our celebrity bartenders that helped raise funds for the purchase of a new ambulance for the New Bridge Fire & EMS station and make the day amazing.”
The event kicked off with a First Pour at noon with Sandridge and Wilson, two long-time Lake Anna realtors and then every hour afterward a new set of “celebrity” bartenders worked with Taphouse staff to serve patrons who purchased various beverages. Over $3K was raised by the effort and other accompanying donations.
Donnie Warren, who played on three Superbowl teams for the then Redskins and has owned a lake home for 30 years, bartended and was a big draw. Many came to see him, talk football and see his Superbowl rings.
At 5:30 pm a massive cake provided by the Mad Batter Bakery was served to the attendees by Mintz and the Lake Anna Monster.
The event had a 70’s theme (Lake Anna was formed in 1972) and many of those in attendance came in 70’s attire and participated in a costume contest after the cake cutting. The winners received prizes provided by Lake Anna Outfitters and Lake Anna Taphouse.
A Lake Anna Love Vendor Village featured 11 booths with everything from apparel to paddleboards, decorative items to HVAC specialists.
“Something tells me with the success of this event, we might just make Lake Anna’s birthday celebration an annual event,” LABP Vice President Jody Korman told Life & Times.
