Patriotic boats domiinate the Jacksonville Lake Association Floatzilla on July 4

Published 3:51 pm Sunday, July 4, 2021

Patriotic boats and plenty of smiles from the shore dominated the 2021 Lake Jacksonville Association’s Boatilla on July 4.

The event was also a chance to see the improvements being made on the lake for residents and the public who want to use the public park and beach areas.

“There is a grant to re-do our park, put in a new boat slip, improve the current boat slip and put in new bathrooms,” said Katie Struhall, one of the directors of the Lake Jacksonville Association, who has decorated the Jacksonville Police boat over the years.

Struhall added, “We are going to put in a new concession stand and there will be room for food trucks and places to park.”

The City of Jacksonville rents out screened-in huts at the public park where crowds were swimming, having picnics and launching boats.

Something else the Jacksonville Lake Association started was a program called, “Kids Don’t Float.”

The program started six years ago and there has not been a drowning at the public beach since.

Thanks to donations, Sadler’s Marine and Sporting Goods was able to purchase boxes of life vests from Kent Water Sports. The vests are hanging at the public parks and in the huts.

Fireworks took place on the lake, but before the festivities, the association awarded the Barton family with an award for the most patriotically decorated watercraft.

It was their second win in a row.

Kirk Sadler, who led the parade behind the police boat, served as the master of ceremonies for the awards event.

Dressed up on the winning boat were Andy Barton as George Washington, Tyler Barton as Uncle Sam, Lisa Pinkston as Betsy Ross, Emory Ellegood as the Statue of Liberty and Jeff Pinkston as Ben Franklin.

“We started working on this last night and kept working against six in the morning,” Andy Barton said. “A lot of work went into it from the whole team and everyone who was on the boat.”