Bobcat, Buckeye open their divided home for annual OSU-OHIO Picnic at Lake Norman
Ohio University attendees gather for a group photo at the 30th annual OSU-OHIO Picnic at Lake Norman. Photo courtesy of Denise Weldon
Sherry and William Rakatansky have been happily married for more than 30 years, but their house has always been divided.
William, BARCH ’72, is a proud Bobcat. His wife is an equally proud Buckeye.
The couple’s home on North Carolina’s Lake Norman showcases their pride in their alma maters and stands as a testament to a healthy rivalry that’s thrived since the day the two met in May of 1986. Once a year, that rivalry is put aside, and the couple opens their lakeside abode to Bobcats and Buckeyes alike.
As OHIO and OSU alumni, William and Sherry Rakatansky cover their home in décor from both universities. Photo courtesy of Denise Weldon
This year marked the 30th anniversary of the annual OSU-OHIO Picnic at Lake Norman, which was held Aug. 11. Approximately 100 people, with nearly equal representation from both universities, attended the picnic, which is the Greater Charlotte Chapter of the OHIO Alumni Association’s longest-running event.
“We moved to Charlotte about nine months or so after we got married, and we found a house that was on Lake Norman,” William said. “We wanted to be able to give back to people who just want to get away to relax, and that is how we came up with the (idea for the) joint picnic.”
Every summer since, OHIO and Ohio State alumni from across the country migrate to the Rakatansky home for an afternoon of fun, food and fellowship. Guests are invited to swim, hang out on the beach, enjoy several water vessels—a paddleboat, kayak or boat rides, courtesy of William—and play games. Sherry noted that while the picnic’s early years saw a lot of volleyball playing, this year’s event featured KanJam, and over the years, the OSU-OHIO Picnic at Lake Norman has really evolved into an opportunity to connect with one another.
“It’s gotten to the point where people just want to sit and talk,” she said.
“There’s all ages that come to the picnic,” William added. “We’ve had little kids. We’ve had senior citizens. We’ve had everybody in between. One year, we had over 175 people come to our picnic.”
Those attending the annual OSU-OHIO Picnic at Lake Norman presented William and Sherry Rakatansky with these chairs as a token of thanks for 30 years of Ohio fun and fellowship. Photo courtesy of Denise Weldon
Joining the Bobcat and Buckeye alumni in this year’s festivities were representatives from each university who seized the occasion to honor chapter leadership as well as to welcome some incoming OHIO and OSU students who were about to embark on their college journeys at the two institutions.
Ryan Boyd, assistant director of external relations for the OHIO Alumni Association, attended his first OSU-OHIO Picnic at Lake Norman, which he described as “the best example of how collaboration can work at its finest.”
“(William and Sherry) create this really unique event that kind of bridges that gap or that divide and forces people to talk about their experiences at different universities,” Boyd said. “I think everyone enjoys themselves more as a product of bridging that gap between OHIO and OSU.”
As for the future of the event, William and Sherry plan on inviting Bobcats and Buckeyes to their home for as long as they can—and even opening the day to others.
“There’s a great amount of alumni from other schools—from the Big 10 and the MAC—down here,” William said. “What I tell people that I know down here is that if they’ve ever said the word ‘Ohio’ they are welcome to come.”