Group Seeks Better Lake

ROGERS — Sometimes, there’s too much fiscal year at the end of the money for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Beaver Lake.

A new foundation aims to fund improvements at the reservoir and its parks that aren’t in the corps’ budget. Volunteer work at the lake is also planned.

The Beaver Lake Foundation formed last spring,and is in the organizational stage, said Kerry Jensen, foundation president. Jensen is also executive director of Main Street Rogers.

The foundation will begin regular meetings in January and meet the third Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. at the corps office, 2260 N. Second St., in Rogers. The foundation’s 501(c)3 nonprofit status is complete. An attorney has written the group’s bylaws and a website is being developed.

“Our last step now is to complete the cooperation agreement between the corps and the Beaver Lake Foundation,” he said.

Corps officials at Beaver Lake have a draft agreement for review, but it must also be approved by the corps’ Little Rock district office.

One reason for the foundation is that it’s complicated for people to donate money for specific projects to the corps, a federal agency, Jensen said. Donors can give directly to the foundation to fund amenities the corps can’t provide.

“Let’s say someone wants to donate $5,000 to have free loaner life jackets available at all the marinas. They can’t just walk into the corps’ office and write them a check,” Jensen said. “We’d be able to accept that donation and go out and buy the life jackets ourselves.”

Volunteers will run the foundation, Jensen said. Six are involved at this point.

Some volunteer projects of the foundation may include the return of evening interpretive programs at the corps’ parks, handing out corps information at public events, improving hiking trails and conducting tours of Beaver Dam.

Donations will be accepted, but Jensen said fundraisers and other revenue production is planned.

Alan Bland, Beaver Lake park ranger, said the foundation will operate independent of the corps. Beaver Lake corps officials can recommend projects they’d like to see done, but the foundation doesn’t have to follow the recommendation, Bland said.

“They could take over operating a park or two,” Bland said. That would let the corps spend that operating money in other areas.

Volunteers would be trained by the corps to do tours of Beaver Dam, he said.

A similar foundation operates at Table Rock Lake in Missouri. Table Rock’s Ozarks Rivers Heritage Foundation was founded in 2010 and has taken on several projects, said Sheila Thomas, executive director.

The foundation operates the Dewey Short Visitor Center and gift shop at Table Rock Dam near Branson, Mo. Volunteers run the fee booths and do the cleaning at eight Table Rock parks.

They give interpretive programs, Thomas said, and take part in events that promote Table Rock Lake and water quality in general.

“In 2012 we estimate that we’ve provided over $750,000 in economic benefit to the corps,” Thomas said.

Tours of Table Rock Dam provide one revenue source, she said. A tour costs $14.50 for individuals ages 12 and over. It’s $8 for children age 6 to 11. Children younger than 6 aren’t permitted. All money raised stays at Table Rock Lake.

Foundation members clean the Table Rock Dam power house, an expense the corps doesn’t have to pay.

Replacing the roof of a shower building at one Table Rock Lake campground is a recent project of the foundation.

“There are some things the corps just can’t budget,” Thomas said.

About 40 volunteers are involved with the Ozarks Rivers Heritage Foundation, she said. Hopes are high that the new Beaver Lake Foundation will see similar accomplishments.

“It’s all focused on what we can do to make the lake as appealing and as safe as it can be,” Jensen said.