LAKE MARTIN IN LIGHTS

A new Christmas event will launch at Lake Martin next month with the inaurgural Lake Martin in Lights Tour boat parade and a dock decoration competition to benefit two local charities in memory of the late Andrew Milwid.AMichael Langston, who will coordinate the event, said the parade would process from The Social on the south end of the lake to Harbor Pointe in Blue Creek on the eastern lakeshore. The route will pass the Bridge to Nowhere, The Village, Longleaf, Kennebec, Crowne Pointe, Emerald Shores and parts of StillWaters. “I will be in the head boat, and we’ll have a tow boat at the end. We will be very slow and very close and maybe will have a tow line between each boat,” he said. “We’ll ask people along the route to decorate their docks and will judge the dock decorations from the boats.” Langston said there would be first, second and third place awards for boats and docks. Boat entrants will gather on Dec. 18 at The Social for the parade start at 4:30 p.m. Special batteries will be provided for lights on the entrant boats, Langston said. An entrance fee will be charged, but that amount had not been decided by Lake magazine’s presstime. Donations will be accepted for the Camp ASCCA Scholarship Fund at 5278 Camp ASCCA Dr., Jackson’s Gap, or Encompass Health Hospice, 33 Aliant Pkwy, Suite A, Alexander City. Andrew Milwid of Dadeville, who passed away two months ago, was an active supporter of Camp ASCCA and a member of Elks Lodge, where he served in various local, state and national positions. He was passionate about working to promote drug awareness and worked with First Lady Nancy Reagan to create the “Just Say No to Drugs” program in schools across the country. For more information, email Langston at discoverlakemartin@gmail.com.

STORY BY BETSY ILER

Inaugural Christmas boat parade to launch Dec. 18

The boat parade will benefit local charities