ANNUAL DUES
SKU:
$25.00
$25.00
per item
Membership dues are required annually. Other donation choices are optional, but greatly appreciated. Your additional donations help fund HOBO projects and events throughout the year. (Select your donation option amounts, but leave the Quantity box as "1").
You may pay with a major credit card or use a PayPal account.
What Does HOBO Do and How Are Dues Used?
ENVIRONMENTAL- Your H.O.B.O. dues purchase water quality testing kits and supplies that our water monitor volunteers use to regularly test the water at various points along our lake. We have an Environmental Committee that works with Alabama Power Company, Coosa River Keeper, Alabama Water Watch and other organizations to monitor what our watershed is filtering into our Lake. Keeping our lake clean and healthy for swimming, fishing and water sports is a paramount objective for HOBO.
LAKE CLEANUP - We spend about $800 per year on our fall and spring lake cleanup events that Alabama Power Company sponsors and we support. Many volunteers comb the lake by boat, pulling hundreds of pounds of trash from our shores. After depositing the bags of debris at Higgins Ferry Park, workers celebrate with a picnic provided by HOBO.
FIREWORKS - The largest community events we support surround the Fourth of July. After the sun goes down, we all gather in Cargile Creek to enjoy the spectacular fireworks show. Your dues provide a portion of the cost of the fireworks. Many members also make a specific fireworks donation to help offset the cost of the show.
SCHOLARSHIP - Your HOBO association is also civic minded. Each year we award two $2000 scholarships to two local Coosa or Chilton County high school seniors. The HOBO Scholarship Committee accepts and reviews applications, works with school counselors and interviews each applicant to select the scholarship recipient. Applicants are required to participate in a Lake Mitchell clean-up event. We also provide teacher grants to local teachers to help them fund creative projects in their classrooms.
POKER RUN – A pure fun event that takes place each year is the Poker Run where participants pay an entry fee to travel by boat to designated “dealers” around the lake to draw cards for their poker hand. Then players gather at Higgins Ferry to determine who has the winning hand. The winner receives a cash prize and most other players receive valuable door prizes. The remaining proceeds go to support the HOBO Scholarships.
MEMBER DIRECTORY - Every two years we spend approximately $3500 to collect data, print and mail our lake resident telephone directories. These books are provided at no additional charge to H.O.B.O. members.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT - HOBO is also a dues-paying member of the Chamber of Commerce, and we make a donation to the local bank in Clanton that allows us to use its facilities for H.O.B.O. board meetings.
POSTAGE - We spend about $1000 annually to mail meeting notices, cleanup announcements, directories and picnic invitations.
AREA EVENTS – HOBO has divided the lake into 20 geographical neighborhoods or areas. Each Area has a designated Area Representative. These “Area Reps” serve as your liaison between you and the HOBO Board of Directors. They are your first line of contact. Area Representatives have $400 in the budget to use to communicate with their area homeowners and to host local parties or events for their area members.
PICNIC - We spend about $500 to feed all members and families who attend the summer picnic held at Higgins Ferry boat launch. HOBO provides the meat, drinks, paper goods and entertainment while attendees bring their favorite side dish to share. It is a great opportunity to get to know fellowship with your other lake residents.
FIREBOAT - We have a unique form of protection provided by our fireboat, known as Marine 9, the designation given by the East Chilton County Fire and Rescue unit that mans the boat. We know of no other lake our size that can claim a boat this large, this fast, with as much on-board life-saving equipment. The original boat was purchased in 1998 with proceeds from our dues, donations, yard sales, raffles and a skeet shoot. Since this time we have invested thousands of dollars in a defibrillator, pumper, a boathouse and fireboat maintenance. In 2023 an updated version of Marine 9 replaced the original boat. The new boat has updated EMS capabilities and firefighting equipment.
LAKE CLEANUP - We spend about $800 per year on our fall and spring lake cleanup events that Alabama Power Company sponsors and we support. Many volunteers comb the lake by boat, pulling hundreds of pounds of trash from our shores. After depositing the bags of debris at Higgins Ferry Park, workers celebrate with a picnic provided by HOBO.
FIREWORKS - The largest community events we support surround the Fourth of July. After the sun goes down, we all gather in Cargile Creek to enjoy the spectacular fireworks show. Your dues provide a portion of the cost of the fireworks. Many members also make a specific fireworks donation to help offset the cost of the show.
SCHOLARSHIP - Your HOBO association is also civic minded. Each year we award two $2000 scholarships to two local Coosa or Chilton County high school seniors. The HOBO Scholarship Committee accepts and reviews applications, works with school counselors and interviews each applicant to select the scholarship recipient. Applicants are required to participate in a Lake Mitchell clean-up event. We also provide teacher grants to local teachers to help them fund creative projects in their classrooms.
POKER RUN – A pure fun event that takes place each year is the Poker Run where participants pay an entry fee to travel by boat to designated “dealers” around the lake to draw cards for their poker hand. Then players gather at Higgins Ferry to determine who has the winning hand. The winner receives a cash prize and most other players receive valuable door prizes. The remaining proceeds go to support the HOBO Scholarships.
MEMBER DIRECTORY - Every two years we spend approximately $3500 to collect data, print and mail our lake resident telephone directories. These books are provided at no additional charge to H.O.B.O. members.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT - HOBO is also a dues-paying member of the Chamber of Commerce, and we make a donation to the local bank in Clanton that allows us to use its facilities for H.O.B.O. board meetings.
POSTAGE - We spend about $1000 annually to mail meeting notices, cleanup announcements, directories and picnic invitations.
AREA EVENTS – HOBO has divided the lake into 20 geographical neighborhoods or areas. Each Area has a designated Area Representative. These “Area Reps” serve as your liaison between you and the HOBO Board of Directors. They are your first line of contact. Area Representatives have $400 in the budget to use to communicate with their area homeowners and to host local parties or events for their area members.
PICNIC - We spend about $500 to feed all members and families who attend the summer picnic held at Higgins Ferry boat launch. HOBO provides the meat, drinks, paper goods and entertainment while attendees bring their favorite side dish to share. It is a great opportunity to get to know fellowship with your other lake residents.
FIREBOAT - We have a unique form of protection provided by our fireboat, known as Marine 9, the designation given by the East Chilton County Fire and Rescue unit that mans the boat. We know of no other lake our size that can claim a boat this large, this fast, with as much on-board life-saving equipment. The original boat was purchased in 1998 with proceeds from our dues, donations, yard sales, raffles and a skeet shoot. Since this time we have invested thousands of dollars in a defibrillator, pumper, a boathouse and fireboat maintenance. In 2023 an updated version of Marine 9 replaced the original boat. The new boat has updated EMS capabilities and firefighting equipment.
WOW! WHAT A BARGAIN!
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