Dear Lakesiders,

We come to you again with our weekly response to the effects of COVID-19 and hope this note finds you and your family healthy and safe. 

We continue to monitor and follow national, state and local directives while preparing to open our venues as soon as it is safe to do so. Lakeside, similar to any small town, does not close per se, but our operations will be modified due to the pandemic.  

Our small staff at Lakeside, which produces the summer season, has spent months assembling the programs and attending to all the logistics that go into staging the Chautauqua season. So much optimism and anticipation were in the air as we came out of winter and looked forward to the spring and summer.

Now, that same team is rearranging and recreating programs for this new world, with your safety and social distancing protocols in mind. You will see below that we’re making changes to our May events, including Memorial Day weekend. Some events will be cancelled, while some of your favorite activities remain the same with slight modifications. And out of the forced creativity, some new ideas have emerged.

Imagine the taste of Patio donuts. Now, imagine standing in line to wait for those donuts, 6 feet away from the people in front of you and behind you. It’s not that different. The donuts will still taste delicious, the same as they always have.

We want our guests to enter through the gates with excitement and a sense of safety. That will be true whether we’re operating in a reduced capacity or when we are able to fully open our venues and host events. We look forward to welcoming you back to Lakeside, when the time is right!

As we continue to work on our summer plans, we want to update you on our schedule of pre-season events. 
Spring Cleanup Day
We will not be holding Spring Cleanup Day on May 2. Although we are not able to gather collectively on this annual day of volunteerism, we will still engage volunteers to help complete projects to prepare the summer. Projects include cleaning areas of Lakeside while maintaining appropriate social distancing. These family/small group and individual projects will be available May 2-May 22. If interested in participating with your household/quarantine group, contact  mahirsch@lakesideohio.com  for a list of projects and completion dates. 
LPOA Meeting
The Lakeside Property Owners Association (LPOA) Meeting, originally scheduled for Saturday, May 9, has been cancelled. The next meeting will be held on Saturday, July 11.
May Community Potluck
The May Community Potluck, originally scheduled for Thursday, May 14, has been cancelled. 
Memorial Day Weekend
Due to national, state and local directives, our Lakeside team is thinking differently on what and how we offer Memorial Day weekend programming. Therefore, the schedule has been modified to maintain safety and social distancing, while providing as best we can a social closeness and human connection. Hoover concerts, movies and other large gatherings have been cancelled or rescheduled. See below for a list of new events and activities that celebrate the spirit of Chautauqua and the meaning of Memorial Day. An updated schedule for Memorial Day weekend will be available after May 6.

Wall of Honor
The Wall of Honor at Hoover Auditorium will be a tribute to loved ones lost; a place to display their photos, reflect on their lives and share their stories. Written submissions and photos can be submitted online for those unable to be in Lakeside Memorial Day weekend .  

 Community Forum
Join us for our livestream of the Community Forum with Acting President Daniel Dudley and other members of the Lakeside staff. 

Afternoon Music
On Saturday, Sunday and Monday afternoons, solo artists will share their talents from the Pavilion to provide music as you walk the park and dock.

Lakeside UMC Worship
The Lakeside United Methodist Church (UMC) will post a video of its Sunday service on their website so that all may join in worship from their homes at 9 a.m. 

Hoover Community Worship & Remembrance Ceremony
Supported by James E. Beardsley & Doris F. Beardsley
Join us for our livestream of the Community Worship & Remembrance Ceremony at 10:30 a.m. Lakeside welcomes Bishop David Alan Bard as guest preacher, along with the Rev. Dr. Charles Yoost and Michael Shirtz. The names of those buried in the Memorial Garden at Chautauqua Park, and Lakesiders who we lost during the 2019-20 year, will be read during the service.

Sing-a-Longs
While practicing social distancing, come to Bettinger Park and join in patriotic selections and favorite hymns. Let’s fill the sound of the waterfront with our voices in harmony.

Chalk the Walk
Join fellow Lakesiders in creating unique chalk art on the streets, sidewalks and your cottage driveways. Welcome summer friends, honor a family member who has served in the armed forces protecting our country or those serving on the front lines in healthcare during the pandemic. At your leisure, walk around Lakeside and view the messages and pictures created by your Lakeside friends. 

Give Back: Danbury Food Pantry Food Drive
If you’re returning to Lakeside over Memorial Day Weekend, please bring canned or non-perishable food items to donate to the Danbury Food Pantry. Join us in giving back to the local community and helping those struggling in these uncertain times. Drop off items in the bins located in the sheltered area of the Hoover Porch between 3 p.m. Friday, May 22 and 9 a.m. Tuesday, 26.  
Mystery & Adventure Weekend
Mystery & Adventure Weekend activities, originally scheduled for May 29-31, have been rescheduled to the fall. 
UMC Conferences
This morning, the West Ohio and East Ohio United Methodist Church (UMC) Conferences, as well as the Youth Annual Conference, announced their plans to postpone this year’s conferences at Lakeside Chautauqua due to COVID-19. Read more…
As we shared last week, we’re continuing to develop aspects of a virtual community. Obviously, not all of the season can or will be online, but we’re working on the best methods to deliver programming to you.

We know we can create this online community and still provide that sense of togetherness at the heart that is the embodiment of Lakeside. We will celebrate the summer together, but in different ways. We will bring the Chautauqua experience to you, a traveling Chautauqua for the modern age to get us through these times of uncertainty.

While we continue to learn more about COVID-19 and the mandates issued by national, state and local officials, we’ll be releasing information about the Chautauqua season. In the coming weeks, we will provide answers about your Chautauqua Season Passes, admission and parking for this revised summer experience.

We ask for your patience over the next two months while we develop this new seasonal experience for you. We know that Lakeside is a place you come to each summer to relax, rejuvenate and re-energize. As we said last week, we know it won’t be the same, but this summer will still be a place of making great lifetime memories.

To end our message today, we wanted to share this fantastic video by the Ohio Department of Health that demonstrates the importance of social distancing and the great work we’re doing to flatten the curve.
Sincerely,
Daniel Dudley
Lakeside Chautauqua, Acting President & CFO/COO
Coronavirus FAQs
Read Lakeside's updated list of Coronavirus FAQs . Please note: you may need to 'refresh' the page to see updated content.
How can I help Lakeside?
At this time, the best way to help is to  protect yourself and other s  by staying informed about the governor’s 'Stay at Home' mandate and practicing safe social distancing/gathering restriction protocols. As we navigate through these challenging times, you can:

  1. Purchase your Season Chautauqua and Auto Passes.
  2. Make early donations to the Lakeside Fund. We thank you for all the ways you support Lakeside, and we hope that we can continue to count on your support in the months ahead.
  3. Stay connected with Lakeside friends by writing letters or hosting Zoom/Facebook Messenger social gatherings.
  4. Volunteer to help deliver Ward Catering's to-go meals and grocery baskets. Contact conference@lakesideohio.com for details.
  5. Click here to continue sharing your ideas so that we may include them in our future thoughts and discussions
  6. For the most up-to-date news and decisions at Lakeside, visit lakesideohio.com/news, join our e-newsletter or follow Lakeside Chautauqua's official Facebook page.
Lakeside Chautauqua
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