The Chautauqua Lake Ice Pick (CLIP), an annual fundraising competition for the Chautauqua Lake Association, is officially underway. Proceeds collected from the competition help the CLA fund lake water maintenance and assist with the removal of nuisance aquatic vegetation. The CLIP competition is ongoing through mid-March.
“We have placed the Ice Pick tripod on frozen water in Bemus Bay by the Lawson Center and it is up to the community to guess when the ice will thaw and the tripod will drop,” said Peter Sullivan, Event Coordinator and CLA Board Member. “The ice has broken on April 9 for two years in a row despite very different weather conditions. That just goes to show that you never know what Mother Nature has planned,” said Sullivan.
For a $5 donation, competition participants can guess the exact date and time the tripod will fall through the ice. Individuals with the closest guesses will win cash prizes.
The contest is based on a successful Alaskan tradition when people waited for the ice to break on the Tanana River to signify that much needed supplies were coming their way. Although Alaskans are no longer dependent upon the ice breaking to get supplies, the tradition is still carried on with hundreds of thousands of dollars being collected for charity in the process. Many lake communities around the world mimic this tradition to date.
“The winner will receive 25 percent of the entire jackpot,” said Sullivan. “The five closest contestants will each receive 5 percent of the jackpot,” he said. The rest of the proceeds will go to the CLA to help keep the lake clean. Last year’s event collected over $11,000 with over $5,500 directly benefiting the lake.
Placing a guess in the CLIP contest can be done three ways. Participants can visit www.clakeicepick.org for a mail-in form, vote online or visit the CLA table at the President’s Day Winter Festival in Mayville on Valentine’s Day weekend.
CLICK HERE to download the 2015 mail-in form!
