`tying Warmwater Flies' A Visual, Practical Treat

Age-old Favorite A New Treat

By ERIN YOUNGMAN
For the Times Leader
 Saturday, December 27, 2003 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 3A 





HARVEYS LAKE - Dock insurance, unattainable from conventional sources, has
been the impetus for many new families to join the Harveys Lake Protective
Association. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 For approximately $100 a year and the annual $20 membership fee,
association members can obtain $3,000 worth of coverage. The insurance was
dreamed up by association members who sought to create some monetary
protection against spring ice damage. No insurance companies currently offer
such coverage. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ``We got 15 to 20 new member families specifically so they could get the
ice insurance,'' said Mark Sobeck, president of the association. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 As the Dec. 31 deadline approaches, he expects applications will come in
more furiously. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``We're hoping to see at least 100 (insured) in the first year and I think
that's a realistic goal,'' he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The association began accepting insurance applications in November. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Because the association is not a licensed insurance company, only members
are eligible for coverage. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Sobeck said attracting new members has the added benefit of additional dues
and a growing bank account to use for community projects. The annual fee to be
an association member is $20 per single person or $25 per family. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Membership dues have recently been used to add buoys to unsafe areas of the
lake, contribute to the Lake-Noxen playground fund and put a flag pole at the
entrance to the lake. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Sobeck said the association, created more than 70 years ago to look after
summer homes in the winter, is going through a period of growth. As membership
increases, so does its financial viability. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ``In the last two years we've gotten up to 40 new members. That's really
helped out in the income end.'' &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Sobeck said the association has several projects going on from creating a
Web page to tracking quality of life issues at the lake. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 DOCK INSURANCE &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The deadline for insurance applications is Dec. 31. For more information
call Harveys Lake Protection Association President Mark Sobeck at 639-5515. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Dock Insurance Proving Big Draw A Longtime Harveys Lake Organization Finds New Life By Offering A Popular Benefit.