You’re lounging with a view of the water, frosty beer or fruity umbrella drink in hand. You can hear laughter coming from a Conga line and smell the spices of a delicious beachside feast. Maybe you’ll take in a game of beach volleyball later.

Sounds like a fantastic afternoon, doesn’t it?

Fortunately,  you don’t need to hop on a plane to a tropical locale to enjoy it.  On July 12, you only have to go as far as Whiskey Island’s Wendy Park for the 9th annual Luau on the Lake.

What’s even better is that all proceeds from the party will benefit Shoes and Clothes for Kids, the only non-profit in Greater Cleveland that provides new shoes and clothing throughout the year to thousands of children in need, all at no charge.

And best yet? You can win a pair of VIP tickets to the event on Clue into Cleveland.

From 4 to 9pm on July 12, enjoy SC4K’s celebration fit for a Tiki God. A lakeside dinner is served til 7:30 featuring jerk-seasoned green beans, saffron and Caribbean-spiced brown rice, pan-seared chicken with spicy plum sauce, Polynesian BBQ pulled pork sliders, and island sorbet.

Beer, wine, snacks, music, sand volleyball, and a limbo contest are available throughout the night for all ticketholders, while VIP “Big Kahunas” will also get a souvenir cup and three tickets for island cocktails, early admittance at 3:30pm, and a lei and floral tote to go with their Hawaiian shirts. 

New to this year’s Luau on the Lake is a 24-team, single elimination cornhole tournament. Up for grabs – a cornhole board set complete with bags and 4 tickets to an Indians game. Teams will be able to register for $20 each.

General admission tickets are $50 through July 7. After that and at the door, they’re $60. VIP tickets are $60 through July 7 and available for presale only.

The funds raised by Luau will be instrumental in helping SC4K distribute $2.4-million worth of new clothing and Payless shoe gift cards to children this year.

Want to spend your July 12th at Luau on the Lake? Enter my giveaway for two Big Kahuna VIP tickets right now.

There are 5 Easy Ways to Enter the Giveaway
**You must leave a separate comment on this post for each entry**

1) Leave a comment with what your favorite beachside activity is. (Mine is just relaxing by the water with a good book.)

2) Follow @ADHicken and @SC4K on Twitter and leave a comment letting me know you did both.

3) If you’re a fan of Shoes and Clothes for Kids and Clue Into Cleveland on Facebook, leave a comment on this blog post letting me know. If you’re not yet a fan, you can become one here and here.

4) Tweet the following and leave one comment letting me know you tweeted:

I want to party like a Big Kahuna at Luau on the Lake! Enter @ADHicken’s @SC4K giveaway for VIP tickets http://wp.me/p2Ukr0-2ww #SC4KLuau14

You can tweet once per day for additional entries. Just leave a separate comment each time you tweet.

5) Subscribe to Clue Into Cleveland via a feed tracker like Bloglovin’ or Feedly and leave one comment letting me know you did. This can also include signing up to receive email notifications in the top-right “Subscribe” section of this page.

You have until Sunday, July 6 at 11:59PM to enter. On Monday, July 7, Random.org will select a winner and I’ll announce the winner’s name on my blog.  Remember to leave a separate comment for each entry – good luck!

Disclosure: I was invited to attend Luau on the Lake with a guest in exchange for previewing the event. My choice to blog about it is based on how much Scott and I have enjoyed this event in years past.

Happy July 4th!

I’m celebrating on the blog with a Luau on the Lake winner and special offer:

After removing one pingback, congratulations Entry 13 – Jess! I will email you today to confirm your prize of 2 Big Kahuna VIP tickets. Please reply by Monday, July 8.

Funds raised at Luau on the Lake on July 20 will help SC4K distribute new shoes, clothing and items to infants and youths around Greater Cleveland. For every $1 raised, Shoes and Clothes for Kids is able to purchase between $15 and $20 of brand new clothing.

Time’s almost up to get discounted Luau on the Lake tickets. Get your general admission pre-sale tickets for only $40 or Big Kahuna VIP tickets for $50 through July 14th.

Special for Clue Into Cleveland readers: When you purchase your tickets online, enter “Clue Into Cleveland” in the comments section. You’ll then be entered to win a special social media prize basket which will be raffled off at the Luau.

Luau on the Lake – July 20

General admission tickets include food, beer, wine, soft drinks and entertainment from 4-9pm. For just $10 more, Big Kahunas will also get 3 specialty island drinks, a souvenir tiki cup, lei and tote and early admission at 3:30pm.

After the pre-sale ends on July 14, general admission tickets can be purchased online and at the door for $50.

You can keep up on Luau on the Lake and other SC4K updates by following @SC4K and Shoes and Clothes for Kids on Facebook.

And to purchase tickets to Luau on the Lake, visit sc4k.org/Events/LuauontheLake.aspx.

Disclosure: I was invited to host a Luau on the Lake giveaway in exchange for 2 tickets to the event.
My opinions and choice to blog about events are my own.

Luau on the Lake on July 20 – #SC4KLuau13

There are certain activities that are must-dos each season: sledding in Winter, pumpkin patches in the Fall, and beach parties in Summer.

So for my second Fun in the Sun giveaway, I’m giving away 2 VIP tickets to Shoes and Clothes for Kids’ Luau on the Lake on Saturday, July 20.

For 8 years, SC4K has raised money for Northeast Ohio’s children with this Hawaiian-themed beach party.

While enjoying beautiful views of Lake Erie from Whiskey Island, partygoers at Luau on the Lake will get food, drinks, and dancing.  Although I don’t know what this year’s menu holds for us, last year’s party included delicious Caribbean Jerk-Spiced Roast Potatoes, Citrus Glazed Chicken, Sweet & Sour Brined and Slow Roasted Pork Loin and Island-inspired Sorbet.

General admission ticketholders can wash all that food down with beer, wine and soft drinks, while purchasers of the VIP “Big Kahuna” package will get that PLUS 3 specialty island cocktails, early admittance, and a lei, tote and souvenir tiki cup for only $10 extra.

A few more fun things to note about Luau on the Lake:

• In addition to dancing and lounging by the lake, partygoers can enjoy games of beach volleyball,
• “Jack be Limbo, Jack be Quick” during the Luau’s limbo contest,
• And hang out with Q104’s Allan Fee who will be there as the event’s official host.

For only $10 more than general admission, VIP ticketholders get everything + 3 free island cocktails and this Big Kahuna package

The party goes from 4 to 9pm on July 20. Before July 14, general admission tickets cost $40, which includes food, beer, wine, soft drinks, and entertainment. For only $50 (until July 14), VIP ticketholders get in at 3:30 and enjoy everything plus the “Big Kahuna” package listed above.

The money raised will support SC4K’s mission of providing Greater Cleveland’s families with new clothing, new shoes and new outlooks on life. Watch this video to learn more about Shoes and Clothes For Kids’ mission:

Tickets can be purchased at www.sc4k.org/Events/LuauontheLake/LuauontheLakeRegistration.aspx. The $40 general admission price and $50 VIP ticket are only available until July 14. After July 14, general admission tickets can be purchased online or at the door for $50.

And here’s your chance to win 2 VIP tickets to Luau on the Lake!

How to enter: Do one, some, or all five of the entries. A separate comment is needed for each.

5 Easy Ways to Enter the Giveaway
**You must leave a separate comment on this post for each entry**

1) Leave a comment with what your favorite outdoor summer activity is. (Mine is going to Cedar Point and the islands!)

2) Follow @SC4K and @ADHicken on Twitter and leave one comment on this post telling me you did both.

3) If you’re a fan of Clue Into Cleveland on Facebook, leave one comment on this blog post letting me know. If you’re not yet a fan, you can become one here.

4) Tweet the following and leave one comment letting me know you tweeted:

“I want to party like a Big Kahuna at #SC4KLuau13! Enter @ADHicken’s @SC4K giveaway to win VIP tickets: http://wp.me/p2Ukr0-27h”

You can tweet once per day for additional entries. Just leave a separate comment each time you tweet.

5) Subscribe to Clue Into Cleveland via a feed tracker like Bloglovin’ or Feedly and leave one comment letting me know you did. This can also include signing up to receive email notifications in the top-right “Subscribe” section of this page.

You have until July 3 at 11:59PM to enter. On July 4, I will select a winner using Random.org and announce the winner’s name on Clue Into Cleveland. Remember to leave a separate comment for each entry – good luck!

Disclosure: Photos courtesy of Shoes and Clothes for Kids. In exchange for posting about the event and hosting a giveaway, I was invited to attend Luau on the Lake with a guest. My choice to host this giveaway and opinions of the event are 100% my own.

Thanks to everyone who followed, liked and tweeted their entries in the Luau on the Lake giveaway.  Without further ado, let’s get on to announcing the winner!

After entering everything into random.org…

…the winning entry is Lucky Number 13 – @BrianMusick!  Brian, please email me at clueintocleveland (at) gmail (dot) com to get your tickets.

If you didn’t win, I still have good news for you.  Shoes and Clothes for Kids is raffling off a special prize basket for any blog readers who attend Luau on the Lake. All you need to do is enter “Clue Into Cleveland blog” in the Special Notes section when purchasing your tickets and you’ll be entered in the raffle.

Why should you buy tickets for Luau on the Lake? Here are 4 ways that the local Shoes and Clothes for Kids makes a difference in the lives of Greater Cleveland’s children:

• For every $1 spent, SC4K is able to purchase between $20 and $25 worth of brand new clothing
• SC4K also purchases and distributes discounted Payless Shoe gift cards instead of shoes, allowing families to purchase new shoes or boots of their own choosing that are stylish and fit properly
• SC4K distributes its items through a network of 35 distribution partners located throughout Greater Cleveland — by providing new shoes and clothes through these partner agencies, SC4K connects families to other important programs and services that improve and enrich their lives
• SC4K charges no fees to their recipients or distribution partners — relying heavily on the support of donors and 900 group and individual volunteers to pack clothing in the warehouse, work at the office and help at special events

Last year, 2000 backpacks with school supplies were given away as part of SC4K and Charter One’s Gear for Grades Campaign

This year marks SC4K’s forty-third year of service to families in the Greater Cleveland community — and throughout the year they will distribute new clothing and Payless Shoe gift cards with a retail value of $2,300,000.

So support this great organization – go get your tickets for Luau on the Lake! And do it fast, because after this Wednesday, July 11 the price on General Admission tickets will go up from $40 to $50.  Additionally, VIP tickets – which offer the best value ($50 for early entry, special island cocktails and souvenir lei and tote) – are available only through tomorrow.

Disclosure: As was mentioned in my giveaway post, I was invited to attend Luau on the Lake in exchange for posting about the event and hosting a giveaway. However, as with any event I post about, I am sharing this event because I think it is something that would also interest other Clevelanders.

Photos courtesy of Shoes and Clothes for Kids.

Enter to win a pair of VIP tickets to Luau on the Lake, a fundraiser for Shoes and Clothes for Kids

With all of the fireworks and Fourth of July parties this week, I thought the fun would start slowing down. After glancing at next weekend’s calendar, I realized how wrong I was – the month of July is just starting to heat up (and I’m not even talking about the temps)!

Next weekend kicks off early with Grapes and Ales on Friday the 13th (check out last week’s post for more on Our Lady of the Wayside’s fundraiser).

But the party doesn’t stop there — continuing on Saturday, July 14 when the 7th annual Luau on the Lake  takes over Whiskey Island’s Wendy Park.

From 4-9 pm on July 14, the Hawaiian-themed event will feature food and drinks, as well as sand volleyball, giveaways, music and beautiful views of the lake fit for a tiki god.

A catered menu, including Caribbean Jerk-Spiced Roast Potatoes, Citrus Glazed Chicken, Sweet & Sour Brined and Slow Roasted Pork Loin and Island-inspired Sorbet, will be served until 7:30, with snacks available throughout the rest of the evening.

VIP tickets include all General Admission benefits plus early entry at 3:30pm, 3 Specialty Island Cocktail tickets, a Hawaiian lei and tote.

Luau on the Lake is one of the largest fundraisers for the local non-profit Shoes and Clothes for Kids. Proceeds from tickets and the event’s giveaways and raffle will benefit their mission of distributing new shoes, clothing, and items to income-eligible families throughout Greater Cleveland.

Tickets cost only $40 if you buy before July 11th ($50 after and at the door) and include food, beer, wine, music, sand volleyball and a souvenir cup.

For only $10 more, you can purchase a Big Kahuna VIP ticket which gets you the ultimate Luau experience at the best value. VIP tickets include all General Admission benefits plus early entry at 3:30pm, 3 Specialty Island Cocktail tickets, a Hawaiian lei and tote. VIP tickets are only on sale until July 11, so get those tickets now.

But wait, there’s more: You and a guest can be Big Kahunas by entering the Clue Into Cleveland giveaway for a pair of VIP Luau tickets!

There are 3 Easy Ways to Enter the Giveaway

**You must leave a separate comment on this blog post for each entry**

1) Follow @SC4K and @ADHicken on Twitter and leave me a comment on this blog post letting me know you did both.

2) Tweet the following (must include event hashtag and SC4K twitter handle): “I want to win VIP tickets to #SC4KLuau12 and you can too! Enter Clue Into CLE’s @SC4K giveaway: http://ow.ly/c1T25”  (Additional entries are available each day you do this – you must leave a new comment on this blog post for every time you tweet)

3) Bonus Facebook entry! Like “Shoes and Clothes for Kids” and “Clue Into Cleveland” on Facebook and leave a comment on this blog post letting me know you did both.

You have until Monday, July 9 at 11:59PM to enter. On Tuesday, July 10, I will select a winner using Random.org and will announce the winner’s name on my blog. Remember to leave a separate comment for each entry – good luck!

Disclosure: Photos courtesy of Shoes and Clothes for Kids. In exchange for posting about the event and hosting a giveaway, I was invited to attend Luau on the Lake with a guest. However, as with any event I post about, I am sharing this event because I think it is something that would also interest other Clevelanders.