SHAWANO, WI – A long-standing summer tradition in Shawano is gearing up for a major milestone, as the Shawano Ski Sharks prepare to celebrate 50 years of water ski shows and community involvement.
Ski Sharks alumni Rick Karcz says the club’s roots trace back to 1977, when a group of local enthusiasts got their start with help from a neighboring team. “We teamed up with the Crandon Ski Serpents, who came over and helped us organize our show and taught us a few things,” Karcz said. “From there, we ended up having shows every Sunday night, and now 50 years later, here we are stronger than ever.”
Since those early days, Karcz says the Ski Sharks have grown into a staple of the Shawano community, with roughly 550 members participating over the years. The club has become known not only for its performances on the water but also for the generations of families who have taken part, helping to pass the tradition down year after year.
To mark the milestone, the group is planning a special 50th anniversary show this summer. The event is scheduled for August 8th at 2 p.m. at the Ski Sharks’ site along the river, and organizers say it will serve as both a celebration and a reunion.
Karcz says the event will bring together current and former members, as well as original sponsors and supporters who helped build the program over the decades. The goal is to reconnect, share stories, and reflect on the impact the Ski Sharks have had on the community.
With five decades of history behind them, organizers say the anniversary show is not only a celebration of the past, but also a chance to look ahead as the Shawano Ski Sharks continue to build on a tradition that has become a defining part of summer in the area.
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