Shorelines readers are sharing their favorite summer memories, traditions and activities:

Payroll Administrator Cindy Lohrey recalls the annual big trip to the lake with her four siblings:

“I grew up with five brothers and sisters, so needless to say, there wasn’t a lot of money for fancy trips. But each summer, my parents packed all of us up, and we’d head to Friess Lake for the day. All of us behaved for at least two weeks before that day, to be sure we could go. If we misbehaved, the trip was off!

“We endured the long car ride (now I realize it was only a half-hour). As soon as we got to the lake, we helped set up “camp” for the day and then raced to go swimming. Around lunchtime we had to be dragged out of the water to sit down for the family picnic lunch. Of course, it was always delicious. Once lunch was over, my parents adhered strictly to the “no swimming for at least a half-hour” rule. My father would take us kids on nature hikes while we had to wait. Thinking back now, that should have been more fun than it was, but we kids only wanted to swim, so the hikes were boring. As soon as the signal was given, we were back in the lake.

“Suppertime was an actual barbecue — my dad would fire up the grill and cook hamburgers. Those were the best hamburgers I think I’ve ever had, because we were famished after spending all day out in the sun and fresh air.

“Needless to say, the ride home was quieter than the ride to the lake. I wish Friess Lake weren’t all private property now, or I would have carried on this tradition with my own daughter. In a way, we have, because we live on Okauchee Lake and have spent our summers on the lake. But it wasn’t quite the same as the anticipation of spending a day at Friess Lake, plus enduring the long car ride. At least, we thought it was long!”

Commercial Loan Servicing Manager Cheryl Lancaster writes: “We have a gorgeous pool and fabulous hot tub at our complex, which we use every possible day during the summer months. My fiancé, daughters and I will lie by the pool, play games (we like Jenga), swim laps and race, dunk each other — and we have even been known to bring out the grill and have little poolside cookouts! We love meeting new neighbors and making new friends at the pool, too. After the sun goes down, we usually wrap up by soaking in the hot tub. Spending time at the pool as often as we can is not only super fun and relaxing, it also helps us bond as a family. Many of our favorite memories are of times at the pool!”

And Regency Teller Julie Davies says: “I love going to Country Thunder in the summer. It is a week of camping out, cooking out and listening to country music! There are always live bands playing, and it is so much fun. Last summer, after I met Stephanie Vance — who works at the Regency branch with me — we both went, and it was awesome.”