What happens when you mix a little creativity, some new technology, and a whole lot of Pelican Lake pride? Plenty! The Pelican Lake Association Communications Team has been busy finding new ways to share our stories, spread the word about what’s happening around the lake, and keep our members in the loop. Here’s a peek at what we’ve been up to—and what’s coming next!
Meet the Team Behind the Scenes
Meet Alex Rossman – The Captain at the Helm of the Communications Crew (Committee Chair)
Our fearless leader, Alex, brings the enthusiasm and encouragement that keeps the team moving forward and inspires us to take big dives and get things done! Beyond keeping us motivated, he’s been instrumental in rolling out Google Workspace across the PLA board and committees, making email, file sharing, and collaboration easier for everyone. Thanks to Alex, we’re not just talking about better communication—we’re making it happen!
Meet Daniel (Dan) Tomczyk – The Website Wizard
Daniel has been leading the charge on PLA’s new website, helping create a modern, user-friendly home for lake news, events, meeting minutes, and important association information. His work is laying the foundation for future improvements, including online membership management. He’s also been working to make important resources, like emergency contacts, easier for members and visitors to find. Thanks to Daniel’s time and technical know-how, PLA is building a stronger online presence and making it easier for our lake community to stay informed and connected.
Melissa (Mel) Tomczyk– The Voice Behind PLA’s Communications
Melissa keeps the Pelican Lake community informed and engaged through social media, website content and page building, email communication, event promotion, lake updates, and creative graphics. Since taking over Facebook communications in July, she’s helped grow the page’s views by 1,046% and followers from 850 to 1,258! From sharing important lake news to spotlighting events and the amazing work of PLA volunteers, Mel is helping tell PLA’s story, one post, picture, and update at a time. If you’ve seen PLA popping up in your feed a little more lately, you might know who to blame! 😉
And in case you were wondering, yes, Daniel and Melissa are a husband-and-wife team—it’s a family affair! 🙂
Anchors Away- Our New Website is Here!
One of the team’s biggest milestones was launching the new Pelican Lake Association website on October 15! The updated site offers a modern, easy-to-maintain home for association news, upcoming events, meeting minutes, and other important information.
This is just the beginning! Future plans include online membership management, making it easier to join or renew, and adding a member directory and members-only section.
Have an idea, a story, or a photo to share? Send it through the website! We’d love to hear from you because YOU are part of our story.
Social Media is Growing
Since Melissa took over PLA’s Facebook communications in July, the association has seen impressive growth in its online reach and engagement.
- 294,000 Facebook views — an increase of 1,046%
- 3,600 content interactions — an increase of 3,600%
- 1,246 Facebook followers — up from 850, a 700% increase
- 27 Instagram followers since launching the association’s Instagram presence
These results reflect growing interest in PLA’s work and the importance of sharing timely, engaging content with the Pelican Lake community.
Have a Story to Tell? We Need You!
The PLA Communications Team is looking for a volunteer to research lake-related topics, interview local experts, and help bring Pelican Lake stories to life in our newsletter and on our website. Enjoy asking questions and sharing information? Help us tell the stories that matter to our lake community.
Interested? Contact the PLA Communications Team to learn more.
Growing Our Digital Toolbox
PLA continues to expand its digital presence with a new YouTube channel, Google Business Profile, an Instagram account, along with digital payment options, and QR codes. The Communications Team also produced its first annual video to complement the newsletter. New tools, including a projector, screen, and AI transcription software, are helping improve collaboration, streamline meetings, and make creating and sharing information with our lake community easier than ever!
What’s Next?
With the new website up and running and social media engagement on the rise, the Communications Team is focused on keeping information flowing, strengthening collaboration among PLA committees, and finding new ways to share the association’s news, accomplishments, and lake updates. Our goal is to make it easier than ever for members to stay informed, get involved, and see the difference Pelican Lake Association is making for Pelican Lake!
A big shout-out to Alex’s family and the Tomczyk kids for their patience and support through all the big projects, late nights, and many meetings! We couldn’t do it without them. Hopefully, we’re showing the next generation what it means to give back to our lake community and inspiring future PLA volunteers to carry on the tradition of protecting Pelican Lake for years to come. 💙