“We’ll Definitely Be Back”

LOCK HAVEN – By Tuesday of this week, the 49th annual Lock Haven Jaycees Regatta was all but a memory, other than Water Street clean-up and longtime volunteer DuWayne Kunes picking up trash barrels at the Lockport boat launch area and a northern New Jersey boater awaiting a part for his disabled travel home.

Kunes has been part of the regatta for 33 years and he vows, “We’ll definitely be back” for the 50th staging Labor Day weekend of 2020. The Jaycees have gone public with word they need more community help to stage the massive event in the future and Kunes is optimistic help will be found. He said preliminary talks have begun with Lock Haven University about the local school’s possible involvement. It would make for a great partnership next year, Kunes indicating that 2020 will be the 50th annual regatta and Lock Haven University will be observing its 150th anniversary.

Meanwhile the last boater to leave town is Bill Simmons of Newton, NJ. Simmons said this year marks his 49th trip to Lock Haven and he too definitely will be back in 2020. His departure back to northern New Jersey was delayed on Monday with some travel home mechanical problems. He expects to have a needed part by Wednesday.