South Grand Lake Chamber Banquet set for November 17 th

The South Grand Lake Area Chamber is set to celebrate 45 years of continuous service to the Grand Lake Community at their annual banquet, which is scheduled for November 17 th at the Cherokee Yacht Club on Duck Creek. The event’s keynote speaker will be former Grand Lake radio personality Bob May, who now resides at Lake of the Ozarks. Mays most recent trip to Grand Lake to announce the GLOC Shootout this past summer alongside Captain Shane Sherman.

A social period is scheduled from 6:15 – 7:00pm and a spectacular buffet presentation will follow immediately. Cost for an evening of celebration and fun will be $37.50 per person with an optional cash bar.

Chamber executive director Rusty Fleming said, “Bob and I go back a long way and many of our senior members will remember him from his role with KGND Radio based out of Vinita, which provided a 50,000 watt FM station to broadcast lake news, promotions and other types of programming. It really changed the outlook on marketing Grand Lake outside of our immediate area.”

Fleming added, “One of the main reasons for inviting Bob was to capitalize on his knowledge from Lake of Ozarks with respect to promotional ideas and marketing concepts.”

Bob is the host and producer of Bob’s No Wake Zone Boating Radio Show that airs each Saturday morning from News Talk KRMS at Lake of the Ozarks. A boater for over 30 years, he and his first mate bought their first boat, a 14 ft. fiberglass tri-hull Lund with a 65 HP Mercury after a short visit to Lake of the Ozarks back in 1974.

He has covered the Lake of the Ozarks Shootout for a number of years and was the “dock reporter” the past two years during live coverage on Radio and Television. He also worked this past year on the “OPA Official Boat” for the Lake Race 2015 featuring the Offshore Power Associations races held in June near the Bagnell Dam. Poker runs and other boating events are also places Bob will be each year with coverage and feature stories on the radio program.

Bob is also an active member of the Lake of the Ozarks Water Safety Council, a volunteer organization that focuses attention to boating safety, water safety, life jacket use, and in classroom education to youngsters and adults all over the lake area.

Bob and His wife, Maureen were Grand Lakers for a few years when they were owners of KVIN Radio in Vinita and were instrumental in building KGND FM at Ketchum, since forth both stations have been sold and moved. KGND FM is now part of the Oklahoma State University Broadcast system. They spent many, many days and nights enjoying Grand Lake on their 28 ft. Bayliner Contessa which they birthed at Cedar Port Marina.

In 2013, the chamber established the Barbara Conner Achievement Award. The late Barbara Conner is credited with being instrumental in guiding the chamber from a rural, sleepy organization to one of the largest and most influential in the state. She served the chamber in many capacities, including president and executive director, and was also appointed to the Grand River Dam Authority Board as an at large appointment representing lake interests. Her energy and enthusiasm for the chamber are legendary.

This yearly award has always been highly anticipated as the year comes to a close. Former winners include many of Grand Lake’s movers and shakers and an ongoing tradition will be continued with the announcement of this year’s honoree.

In addition to announcing the winner of the Conner Award and the keynote address from Bob May, the 2017 board of directors will be recognized along with a brief message delivered by outgoing president Mike Vaughn.

Formal banquet invitations will soon be mailed and reservations are essential for planning purposes and can be made by visiting the chamber’s web site at www.southgrandlakechamber.org, e-mailing the chamber at southgrandlakechamber@gmail.com or calling the office at 918-782- 3214.