Duane Herendeen from the Warsaw Community Public Library reads to Harrison Elementary School first-graders at the Winona Lake Limitless Park. Photo provided by WCPL.

By Amy Mann
Children’s Services

We obviously can’t host water sports competitions in Warsaw Community Public Library, but we can certainly discuss them and prepare to partake in them outside of the library over the summer.

Some sports require equipment, like a boat or a board, but others require only the athlete. For some of us, the word is used loosely, but it still applies.

Some sports, like swimming for example, require a costume of sorts. “Bathing suits” have certainly changed since the early days of Winona Lake and Center Lake history. In the 1870s, bathing suits in the United States and Europe for both men and women were made of flannel or wool, were bulky, and covered the torso, arms and legs. These days, swimsuits are generally form-fitting and made from high-tech material. They also cover a bit less skin than earlier suits.

Kosciusko County contains over 100 freshwater lakes and 600+ miles of rivers and streams. Canoeing, kayaking and paddle boarding are popular summer activities, and rentals are available at some locations in the county. For example, reasonably priced kayak rentals are now available at self-serve kiosks at Center Lake and at Pike Lake Beach. The Warsaw Parks Department will be offering free community paddle boarding five times this summer at Pike Lake Beach. Check out their website for more information.

The Lilly Center for Lakes and Streams, which operates from Winona Lake’s Grace College campus, is offering programs at WCPL this summer, as well as other events and enrichment. The Lakes Festival is set to take place on July 9 this year, in partnership with the Warsaw Parks Department.

Warsaw also has a local water ski team, the Lake City Skiers. They practice and perform at Hidden Lake, near the intersection of SR 15 and US 30. They will be featuring some “Learn to Ski” clinics this summer and will be hosting the City of Lakes Tournmane ton June 18.

In between your outdoor exploits, be sure to sign up and read for Warsaw Community Public Library’s Summer Reading Challenge. You may choose to read about a water-skiing squirrel or about a family of sharks. WCPL also has thousands of books and other resources from which to choose, or you may use your own collection of stories and informative books. Sign up on the Beanstack app today, if you haven’t already.