The 2008 Hidden Valley Lake Association Fishing Derby will be remembered as a successful event – on all fronts. Our goals to raise funds to support the maintenance and expansion of our fishery, to further develop good sportsmanship in our young anglers and to have a wonderful time on our beautiful Lake were all achieved. Even the fish were successful this year – most are still in the lake!

This year’s derby also permitted us to disseminate critical information on potential invasive species, and to issue quagga mussel boat sticker applications and Hidden Valley Lake Association (HVLA) boat registrations.

However, this major, annual HVLA event would never have occurred without the generosity, thoughtfulness and hard work of many. The HVL Lake Committee is most grateful to our donors and sponsors, the volunteers, our board, management and staff, our HVL residents, and, of course, our stalwart participants.

We were again fortunate to receive generous cash donations prior to the derby from our sponsors: Sandy Walker of SolarBee, the Levi/Ritter families, RGW Landscaping LLC, Cobb Mountain Woodworks, the EdB Company, Vicki Ritter, Dennis Morris, Rouben and Judy Mirbegian, Georgeann Tintorri, Kathy Joseph and Duncan Mac Innes.

Our equally generous prize donors included Clearlake Outdoors, Lakeport Outdoors, Outdoor Pro Shop of Rohnert Park, Tackle It of Lakeport, Bob Rider’s Lakeshore Bait and Tackle of Clearlake, Limit Out Bait and Tackle of Clearlake Oaks, Arctic Circle Enterprises (Polar Graphics Apparel), Ting’s Thai Restaurant of Hidden Valley Lake, Tom’s Auto Dynamics of Middletown, Star Gardens Nursery of Middletown, Highlands Nursery of Clearlake, A Beautiful You of Middletown, Chuck Michnevich, Mike Martin, the Lemoine family, Bob Chesnut, Vicki Ritter, Cathy Serventi and the Serventis.

We also received major donations of food and materials from HVL Community Service District; Joy Birum, Vicki Ritter, Jim Kammerer, Terry Bissonette, Lahna Fish, Bob Rowe and the Serventis.

And its the volunteers whose creativity and hard work, again this year, made this 2008 Derby so successful. All in HVL owe considerable appreciation to Joy Birum; the Michnevich family, Chuck and Nancy, Brian and Corena, and Brad and Allison; Jim and Marlene Kammerer; Georgeann and Diane Tintorri; Bob and Arlene Rowe; Betty and Van Vannoy; Gayle and Cathy Serventi; Marie Glassburn; Hilde de Feminis; Vicki Ritter; Duncan Mac Innes; Terry Bissonette; and Lahna Fish.

Our board of directors, management and staff create the positive environment for such a successful derby. Specifically, Safety and Security’s Boat Patrol Officer Ed Giovannetti was on duty for us; Al Myers’ crew brought over the chairs and tables, and had the restrooms ready; Brandon Coulter’s crew had Little Beach and the marina in top shape; and Connie Stuefloten and Kelly Moe assisted with administration, promotion and boat registration. Certainly, they all deserve our respect and gratitude.

Finally, it is imperative that we once again acknowledge the patience and understanding of Little Beach neighbors, Harriet and Dick Krieg. They are most tolerant of the noise and excitement from our festivities, which occur right under their windows; they are truly good neighbors.

Of course, without the anglers and the fish, we wouldn’t need to bother. We, therefore, appreciate their sacrifices and skills; they always make the derby a challenge and a pleasure for everyone.

Jim Serventi of Hidden Valley Lake also assisted with this year's derby. He is a past HVL Lake Committee chair and a recent member of the HVLA Board.

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