Nebagamon Lake Association

07/06/2026

Thank you to all who took part in the boat parade this weekend. Although it one of many things that happen around the 4th of July, it is a tradition we want to see thrive.

This year we extended the parade to visit Tanner who is bravely fighting pancreatic cancer. To ensure it doesn't get lost in the comments of old post from last week, we received a couple of messages from the Thompson family that I thought deserved to be reposted.

Sandy Thompson -
It was very emotional to see all the boats and signs for Tanner in the parade. We are very thankful for everyone’s support. Tanner was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer a year and a half ago at 44 years of age. He has fought a very brave battle more concerned about his wife and family than himself. He never gave up, he ran out of options. The drugs quit working and he went into hospice 2 weeks ago. He is failing fast, every day is worse. Several months ago, Tanner said that he thought heaven was like the 4th of July in Lake Nebagamon with all his family. He made it here, but was not able to get out of bed to watch the parade. We took videos and pictures to show him. We blew up each picture so we could see the people and signs. We are forever grateful for this support. You gave our family a very special 4th of July. Thank you all for a very beautiful memory. Much love from the Thompson’s.

Holly Ann -
Sometimes the parade isn’t for the holiday.
Sometimes it’s for the person who can’t make it to the shore.
Yesterday, Tanner never made it out of bed.
The pain was simply too much. For the first time in his life, he couldn’t watch the Fourth of July boat parade on the lake that has been part of our family’s story for generations.
So the lake came to him.
Boat after boat appeared, each one carrying handmade signs with his name. American flags danced in the wind. Children waved from the bows of pontoons. Friends, neighbors, and people we’d never met before became part of something much bigger than a parade.
Some families even trailered their boats from neighboring lakes just to be here—to dock in Lake Nebagamon and join the parade for Tanner.
They didn’t have to.
But they did.
And somehow that simple choice said everything.
Standing on that dock, we broke.
I wrapped my arms around my mom, my dad, and my sister in an embrace I don’t think we’ve ever shared so completely before. Around us, aunts, uncles, cousins, and lifelong friends held one another as tears gave way to gratitude.
Even the little ones knew something extraordinary was happening.
My nephews and nieces didn’t fully understand why everyone was crying, but they felt it. They quietly came over to hug us anyway. Little Cash wrapped his tiny arms around us with the kind of love that reminds you compassion is something we’re born knowing.
We filmed every boat.
Then we carried the parade back inside.
We gathered around Tanner’s bed and watched it together. He smiled. He cried. We cried watching him watch it.
Before bed, I squeezed his hand one more time and told him how much I loved him.
And even then, my brother was still thinking about everyone else.
He kept asking if everyone was having a good time. He wanted to make sure every person had a chance to come into the bedroom where hospice has become part of our daily life, to sit beside him and give him a hug.
That’s Tanner.
Even now, he is making sure everyone else feels cared for.
Cancer has changed so much.
But yesterday it couldn’t touch what mattered most.
An entire community reminded my brother that he belongs.
That he is loved.
That a life is measured not only by the years we’ve lived, but by the people who would move heaven and earth—or trailer a boat across counties—just to remind us we are not alone.
Lake Nebagamon, thank you.
You didn’t just organize a parade.
You became one long procession of love.
You carried our family.
And for one unforgettable afternoon, you carried my brother too. ❤️🇺🇸

Send a message to learn more

07/02/2026

🇺🇸 A Special Addition to This Year's July 4th Boat Parade 🛥️

Lake Nebagamon friends, we're extending our parade route this year for a very special reason.

Longtime Nebagamon Lake Association members Kim and Sandy Thompson have a treasured guest at their lake home this week — their son, Tanner. Tanner is bravely facing pancreatic cancer, and his family shares that when he thinks of heaven these days, his mind drifts to July 4th on Lake Nebagamon — a little slice of heaven right here on the water.

So this year, let's bring that slice of heaven to him. 💙

We'll be slightly extending the parade route past the dock of the Thompson residence so we can wish Tanner well. Bring your signs, wave your flags, and bring all the spirit Lake Nebagamon is known for!

See the location on the map in red - and follow the parade leader. We will extend the normal route a little to go past the Thompson dock and it will finish just after.

Let's make this a parade Tanner will never forget. 7:30 Saturday night.

07/01/2026

Dear all able bodied NLA members!!

Please help the Camp Nebagamon Boys pull Curly-leaf Pondweed from Minnesuing Creek.

July 7, 2026 at 10 AM

Meet where Homestead Lane crosses Minnesuing Creek.
Bring a metal rake, water shoes (the bottom is mucky in places), a hat, sunblock and drinking water. Don’t need waders unless you want them.

Also, we need someone to canoe down the creek into Lake Nebagamon, looking for CLPW spread.

Thank you!
AIS Coordinator
Kathie Culhane-Pera

Send a message to learn more

06/16/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1DDszQeQWc/

06/15/2026

Our spring newsletter is out.

Want to join the NLA? The same website linked has an easy electronic payment tool.

https://nebagamonlakeassociation.com/what-we-do-news/

04/28/2026

Before You Pull That Tree Out of the Lake… Think Twice

Every spring, as lake property owners across Wisconsin begin shoreline cleanup, one of the most common sights is people removing fallen trees, branches, and old logs from the water. While it may seem like simple “spring cleaning,” those dead trees—often called woody habitat or coarse woody debris—are one of the most important parts of a healthy lake ecosystem.

What looks like a mess to us is actually prime real estate for fish, turtles, birds, and countless aquatic insects.

Fish species like bluegill, bass, perch, northern pike, and even young walleye rely on submerged trees for protection and spawning habitat. These natural structures provide shade, shelter from predators, feeding areas, and nursery zones for young fish. Without cover, many small fish simply don’t survive.

Dead trees also help reduce shoreline erosion. Their root systems and branches slow wave action, protect the bank, and help keep sediment from washing into the lake. Less erosion means clearer water and healthier aquatic plant growth.

Turtles use logs for basking. Ducks and other waterfowl use them for resting. Insects colonize the wood and become food for fish and birds. In many ways, one fallen tree can support an entire mini-ecosystem.

Unfortunately, many shorelines have been “over-cleaned” over the years. Perfectly manicured shorelines may look neat, but they often lack the habitat needed to support strong fish populations and healthy water quality. Studies across Wisconsin lakes have shown that lakes with more natural woody habitat often have better fishing and stronger overall biodiversity.

This doesn’t mean every fallen tree should stay forever, especially if it creates a navigation hazard near a dock, swimming area, or boat lift. Safety matters. But removing every branch and every log simply for appearance can do far more harm than good.

A better approach is selective cleanup: keep swimming and boating access clear while leaving natural habitat in place elsewhere along the shoreline. In fact, many lake associations and conservation groups now encourage property owners to leave some woody habitat intentionally.

Sometimes, the best thing you can do for your lake is… nothing at all.

So this spring, before dragging that old tree to shore, ask yourself: is it really debris—or is it wildlife habitat doing exactly what nature intended?

Healthy lakes aren’t always the cleanest-looking lakes. Sometimes, they’re the ones that still look a little wild.

04/17/2026