June Newsletter, 2026

Today I went through Butch’s briefcase. I have been taking my time in organizing our things. I found the usual stuff. Important phone numbers, airplane tickets, a couple bandaids, business cards, receipts, tools (Butch and his prosthetic leg, you never knew when you’d need a wrench or pliers)…and all of the Valentines Day Cards and Anniversary cards I had given him for the last 6 years. He had been carrying them with him for 6 years! I found the others in his dresser drawer. Most of the signatures had the same line…”We make a great team!" And of course, all the usual mushy stuff… We made a great team, and then when Rudy came along I said “You have us." He saved them all. Wonderful memories that we treasured. Life is definitely too short!

We did make a great team, and I still have the best team at Parks Marina. Many new faces and many well seasoned that are leading the charge. We will be honoring Butch’s memory by having his favorite summer event, the Open House and In-Water Boat Show on June 20th. All the boats will be in the water, with drivers provided for FREE BOAT RIDES. Butch loved introducing families to boating. He would tell the stories of the families that had come to our boat show for many years before finally pulling the trigger. It’s a great event with no pressure. Come have some fun! We will be doing 50 cent ice cream cones, door prizes, live entertainment, and most everything inside will be on sale. It’s a heck of a day!

Boat sales year to date are double from last year. Another thing Butch would say, “The boating industry will lead in and out of recession.” I think we are leading! All sizes, makes and models are selling, new and pre-owned. Our large-size fleet is thinning out, so don’t wait. Cobalt continues to out pace. We still have great deals on a few non-current models. The show room is rotating stock as we sell through. Butch would be so happy! For you water sports enthusiasts, the Cobalt Surf series is the do-it all boat. If you are a little more serious and want the best tow boat in the industry I say go for Nautique. We've got a gorgeous G23 in the water and I’ve got the guys that can demo it for you. On the other spectrum, we’ve got the biggest selection of pontoons in Okoboji. A stop in to Parks Marina is fun, make a day of it and sit under the palm trees to contemplate a purchase.

At the Barefoot, new leaves for thatched roofs are going on! They have about a 10 year life span. Thank you Buck and Jeff and the team for your effort. The first Full Moon Party is coming up on May 31st with Ventura Blvd. It’s going to be a celebration of the music of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers. We have a great team lined up to serve you! Bring the family - it’s no cover.

Public and private cruises are up and running. Book yours today, we can handle picking you up and dropping you off most anywhere on the lake. Reach out to cruises@parksmarina.com and we will get you on the water. Purchase tickets for public cruises at www.cruiseokoboji.com departing from the Parks Campus. Stop in for a drink or eats before or after at the world famous Barefoot Bar or Snappers!

At Snappers, things are in full swing. Do you remember Cluckers Chicken from Okoboji Boat Works? We have a broasted chicken menu that is great for eating lakeside here, or call ahead for a family size to go. We can accommodate! We have a beautiful event space above Snappers available to rent. The entire place brags amazing lake views.

Thank you for all the support. We will continue to do our best to wow you and provide all the family fun we can this summer.

Did I mention life is short? Don't waste any time making all the memories you can!

Debbie Parks