You couldn’t ask for better weather–low humidity, low wind and 77 degrees.  That’s the setting as Annette Fink, artist, and tiler, Tim Paquette, worked on attaching the pieces to the sign surface.  More on the Sign Up for the Sign project below. But first, Annette explains what is happening today.

The sign faces the North Lake Road curve between Rita and Grand Boulevard. What started in September and continued all winter is now in the tiling phase. The sign was designed by Annette. Tiles were created under her direction at Alverno Studio at Lourdes College in Sylvania.  But some of the glazing took place here.  In February, a large group of Clark Lakers gathered in the Beach Bar activity room to apply coats of glaze to the pieces which are now forming the mural. 

This work, commissioned by the Spirit Trail, will truly celebrate the Clark Lake Spirit.  The side facing the road will greet you with the “Welcome to Clark Lake” mural.  On the other side will be the names of donors who have made possible the building, improvement and maintaining of a community hallmark—the Clark Lake Spirit Trail.  Here is the sketch that has served as a guide during construction.  The image here has been superimposed on the sign to give an idea of what it will look like when completed later this week. 

Creator Annette Fink and her team are volunteering their time to make this work of art a reality.  Annette also contributed the raw materials.  Third party expenses include the large studio where the clay pieces were crafted and fired and paying the professional tiler.   

The Spirit Trial Committee is conducting a fundraiser to support this activity. Future Trail improvements and extensions are at risk without your help.  

Will you Sign Up for the Sign? 

Those who donate $1000 or more will have their name (or name(s) of their choice) engraved on a 6 x 8 plaque that will be attached to the Spirit Trail side of the sign.  Corporate logos are also welcome for each donation of $2500.

New donors will join the names of those who have already made $1000 donations.  Those donors were recognized on the Jefferson Road section of the Trail.  Unfortunately, the names have eroded and are no longer visible.  That won’t happen with this new sign.  Both the Welcome to Clark Lake on the North Lake Road side and the names of donors on Spirit Trail facing will stand guard for the ages.  The sign and names of donors will serve as a testament to future generations of what Clark Lake means to this generation.  

Names of donors will also be recognized on a dedicated page of this website.  In addition to the $1000 donors, donors of any size will be included on this special page.

What happens if donations exceed the amount needed to cover the building of the sign?  These fund are needed.  A yet to be announced project is looming, and its implementation will encounter significant costs.