As Texomaland grows, the people who operate the many businesses that support our local and tourist economies become part of our lives. Not all Texomans are blessed enough to grow up here surrounded by many relatives with extensive family historical archives. Mitch McCarter transplanted himself, his wife, Vickey, and his 16-year-old daughter, Savannah, due to a job change, from the Valero Refinery in Memphis, Tennessee, to the Wynnewood Refinery in Wynnewood, Oklahoma.
Mitch’s job change posed a decision-making process of where to live. Mitch grew up on the water. His grandparents operated boats and cabins on Pickwick Lake, a multi-state lake in Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi, since before he was born. Mitch’s love for boats led him to navigate the waters of the Caribbean Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico plus countless rivers and lakes in the U.S. Mitch states with spirit, “I have to live close to water! Because, there are few things in life that let me relax like I do on my boats”.
Mitch’s family chose to live in Dickson, Oklahoma, near Ardmore, because of its proximity to Oklahoma City, DFW, and most importantly, Lake Texoma and Lake Murray in 2013. Currently, he slips his 30’ cabin cruiser and 24’ party barge at Grandpappy Point Marina in Denison.
Mitch dedicates himself and his boats to the Texomaland community. Earlier this year when he surfed the Texoma fishing guide websites, he discovered a nonprofit organization called the Cavett Kids Foundation. Mitch contacted founding member Eric Cavett and learned that they needed boats and guides for their kids and camp counselors last July. He and a slip neighbor took the kids out two days for a fishing adventure and some swimming.
For the last ten years, Mitch has wanted to live more life on the lake and less in the office; to work with boats and out on the water, but it never felt like the right time for him and his family. It turned out that Mitch did not need to make a choice about the right time to open a business on Lake Texoma. After four years of working for the Wynnewood Refinery, he received a layoff notice.
And Living the Lake Life Services Was Born!
Mitch McCarter: I knew when that happened precisely what I wanted to do—Start my own business!
I had been thinking about my own business for quite some time, but I was not sure when or how or exactly what type it was going to be. However, I knew it would involve Lake Texoma and boats. I had already come up with the name and just needed to decide on the rest.
Lake Texoma is a beautiful lake. Covering over 89,000 acres, there is always something to do year round. From hunting, fishing, skiing, and sailing, to living at or just visiting Texomaland—It is a most enjoyable place to be.
When we started looking for a marina to call home, we discovered dockominiums and full outdoor patios (aka improved slips). We had never heard of anything like this before. We had seen plenty of boat slips over the years, but nothing like when we discovered the dockominium lifestyle. We fell in love! We found our marina home at Grandpappy Point Marina and created an improved slip unique to us. Now, we relax at and enjoy a great boathouse with awesome slip neighbors!
Because of the passion that I have for the water and enjoyment I get from it, I wanted to do something that would allow me to share my passion with others. From the time I was a teenager, I have enjoyed auto and boat detailing. I made my spending money detailing cars and boats, and for many years, I kept an impressive client list.
Last summer, my family and I rented a condo for our vacation in Destin, Florida. By accident, we found a grocery delivery service that offered to do our grocery shopping, deliver the groceries, and put them away for us before we arrived. We decided to try it out. That service saved us one-half of a day of vacation time because it kept us from fighting a crowd and standing in line at the grocery store.
It was amazing! It was so nice to walk in and the delivery service had unpacked and put up all of our food. All we had to do was literally enjoy our vacation as soon as we arrived. After I thought about how great that service was, I decided to incorporate it into my business and from there, my business plan grew.
All Our Customers Have to Do Is Relax and Enjoy! How Fantastic Is That?
I thought about the things I would like to see and have when I get to my boat or cabin at Lake Texoma, like:
• I want to see my boat clean as a whistle
• I want to see the spider webs cleared away
• I want to see my furniture dusted and my countertops cleaned
• I want my air conditioner or heater thermostat running
• I want my groceries delivered and stocked
• I want my beverages cold
When people go on vacation and/or just want to get away for a weekend or a short trip, they do not want to spend any of their time grocery shopping and certainly none of it cleaning! Time is too short!
Imagine arriving at your slip and your boat is clean, the groceries are stocked, plus your dockominium and boat are cooled down in the summer (or heated in the winter). Or, you walk into your lake cabin and the groceries are already put away, the thermostat set, and all you have to do is nothing! How fantastic is that?
I want people to come to Lake Texoma and get as much enjoyment out of our lifestyle as I do. I want my customers to know that when they use Living the Lake Life Services, we cater to their every need. We want our customer’s lake time to start before they arrive.
Relax & Enjoy
With
Living the Lake Life Services
Living the Lake Life Service’s motto, Relax & Enjoy, means that when you arrive at your second home or rental, be it a boat, dockominium, or cabin, all you need to do is what you want to do, and you fully appreciate why you work so hard to be able to live the Lake Texoma lifestyle.
Living the Lake Life Services gives people the ultimate relaxation & enjoyment adventure by performing the time-consuming chores before they arrive at their get-away homes in Grandpappy Point, Little Mineral, Mill Creek, and Highport marinas.
We Do All the Work so You Don't Have To!
Living the Lake Life Services is a one-stop shop for you and your friends and family to be ready to enjoy the lake!
We offer professional, reliable, and friendly service to Lake Texoma residents.
We are a grocery shopping/delivery service and a dock/dockominium/boat/cabin cleaning service.
We shop as if we are shopping for our own family and deliver to owners and guests of vacation boats, dockominiums, and cabins. Our service ensures that your vacation or weekend getaway is just that—a release from everyday responsibilities.
Contact Mitch or Vickey McCarter of Living the Lake Life Services at:
Oklahoma: 580-227-8382
Texas: 903-228-4075
Email Mitch or Vickey at:
[email protected]
Visit Living the Lake Life Services on the Internet at:
http://www.livingthelakelifeservices.com/
(new website coming in January)
How Mitch Found the Cavett Kids Foundation
Mitch followed his own initiative to volunteer for Cavett Kids, so I dug a little deeper. It turns out that Mitch found the Cavett Kids Foundation on Blue Water Striper Guide Service’s Enjoy Lake Texoma Facebook page owned by striper guide James Allen. Catfish Bay Marina sponsors the Cavett Kid’s fishing trips and provides their facilities every summer. James is a member of the Catfish Bay Guide Association which steps up to help with its guides, boats, and cleaning station.
James slips his boat at Catfish Bay and has worked with the foundation’s fishing days since 2006. James told us, “The guides that work out of Catfish Bay are proud to help and offer our boats for the day, but we are no different than any of the other boat owners and guides that donate their time and abilities. I do what I can to get the word out each year.”
From the Cavett Kids Foundation Website:
A common experience links all Cavett Kids—a unique environment where they feel truly understood - sometimes for the first time in their lives.
Our Story: What started as a dream by founder Danny Cavett, evolved into five camps serving nearly 360 children with various life-threatening and chronic illnesses. A difference is made in the lives of at least 12,000 children and their families each year by our annual camps and ongoing programs. The diagnoses differ ranging from leukemia, heart disease, cystic fibrosis, Crohn’s disease and several others.
Our Mission: To develop Character, Coping, and Connection for kids battling life-threatening illnesses.
Our Values: Hope. Encouragement. Acceptance. Perspective. Trust.
Our Motto: Where Illness does not define the child
Contact Mitch or Vickey McCarter of Living the Lake Life Services at:
Oklahoma: 580-227-8382
Texas: 903-228-4075
Email Mitch or Vickey at: [email protected]
Visit Living the Lake Life Services on the Internet at:
http://www.livingthelakelifeservices.com/
