Life jacket loaner station on Lake Lanier.
After nearly nine years, Friends of Lake Lanier has disbanded. Founded in 2017, the 501(c)3 non-profit was created to help retain certain locally paid fees at Lake Lanier’s Corps of Engineers’ park for local projects.
The independent group was organized and managed wholly by volunteers who supported Corps of Engineers projects and assisted in programs that required additional funding. For instance, Friends of Lake Lanier raised funds for specific needs. In 2020, the group was able to accept a donation of a 1996 Oasis 210 LS. 21-foot long boat, trailer and motor that rangers could use to conduct water-quality tests and manage buoys and markers for water safety. The donor received a tax deduction and the Corps ended up with another boat to help them with their work.
Friends of Lake Lanier handled a number of projects and were able to raise funds to support them, including Life Jacket Loaner Stations, amenity sales of ice and firewood at campgrounds, laundry services at campgrounds, general maintenance projects, hosting the Corps’ seasonal safety meetings with various jurisdictions around the lake and purchases of supplies and materials to benefit the parks.
Several of the Corps’ parks are now managed by jurisdictions around the lake in a special Partner Operations Plan that provide joint management agreements with both Hall County and Forsyth County.
“We are currently working with our partners in Hall County and Forsyth County to determine if those services (formerly provided through the Friends of Lake Lanier) will continue,” said Tim Rainey, operations project manager for Lake Lanier.
“The life jacket loaner program, formerly managed by Friends of Lake Lanier, will continue,” Rainey said. “They will remain in service and will be maintained and serviced by (Corps) volunteers.” The Corps maintains its own volunteer force that assists with administrative duties at the Lake Lanier office.
“Donations of life jackets are always accepted at the Lake Lanier Project Management Office,” he said. “Monetary donations are also accepted. “Any remaining funds from Friends of Lake Lanier were either used for supply and material purchases or donated to the Lake Lanier Project as a cash contribution,” he said.
To volunteer with the Corps of Engineers, or for more info regarding Lake Lanier services, programming and campground operations, contact U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Lanier Project Management Office, 770 945-9531.
Photo: courtesy Friends of Lake Lanier
