Lakes of Valparaiso celebrates end of summer season, strengthens community, with Resident BBQ Pool Bash

The Lakes of Valparaiso (LOV) transformed into a tropical oasis on Saturday, August 2, for its annual Resident BBQ Pool Bash event. Residents of the apartment complex, along with friends and family members, gathered for an afternoon packed with end-of-season fun while getting to connect more with the friendly faces living just down the hall.

“This is us giving back to our residents. It’s a big bash that we like to do on an annual basis, and it’s all about the residents,” said Donna Damron, LOV property manager. “We have games for them to enjoy, and we do things that are a little bit out of the ordinary or that we wouldn’t typically do during other events.”

Taking time for the entire building to gather and socialize allowed for a stronger sense of community overall. Damron has spent two years with the LOV team, and the Pool Bash stands out as a favorite due to this very reason. It provides her with the opportunity to deepen her understanding and learn more about the community she serves daily.

“It’s so much fun getting to know more of the residents face-to-face. I enjoy being able to join them outside of the typical office interactions,” Damron said. “This gets us out of the office, gets us laughing, and lets everyone get to know us a little bit more out of that office routine while hanging out.”

The competition was also fierce as residents went head to head in a series of games throughout the bash, including Hungry Hungry Hippos, Basketball Bounce, apple bobbing, sponge relay, Silly Spud Drop, Bottle Flip Tic-Tac-Toe, and a cornhole tournament. Card and board games were also available to play at guests’ leisure.

Regardless of the specific activity, however, everyone had a great time strengthening initial connections among strangers who quickly became acquainted on a first name basis.

“We have a good mix of things,” Damron said. “For the cornhole tournament, we paired residents with other residents who they may or may not have known, so it helps them to get to know more people within their area and their community.”

Beyond forging new friendships and reminiscing with old ones, LOV residents additionally had the opportunity to win a variety of exciting prizes through several raffles ranging from $10 to $300. Tickets were granted to everyone as they entered the bash, and additional tickets could be won through some of the minigames throughout the afternoon. This included a wide range of prizes – items to up the golf game, free groceries, self care items and much more. 

The Resident BBQ Pool Bash was a major splash for the LOV community thanks to the team of hardworking employees as well as generous donations from many local businesses. LOV would like to send a heartfelt thank you to the following for all they contributed to the event:  BrightView, Apartments.com, Xiber (formerly known as BluetopTV), Town & Country Supermarket, Strack & Van Til, Aberdeen Golf & Country Club, Kosmos, Spa Nails 3, Bob Evans, Dunkin’ Donuts, Wise Guys Discount Liquors, Indiana Beverage, Bittersweet Pet Resort, and BUN’s Soapbox.

Their efforts made the bash a success not only as a way to close out the summer but also as a way to continue building the LOV into a unified community.

“The bash helps bring us together as one community,” Damron said. “In this day and time, especially after COVID-19, a lot of people tend to stay to themselves because that became the norm for so long. Events like this open the gate back up for that interpersonal interaction. It makes us able to build a stronger community by empowering everyone to come together as one.”

For more information on the Lakes of Valparaiso, visit lovthelife.com.