Fun “post” Valentine’s Day!
We have set the date for our hoped-for completion and dedication at Friday, February 29th at 10:00 am at the base of the SnowWoman! We hope everyone will come and celebrate with us! If you can not come that day…she will be standing grand and tall for many weeks, until she starts to melt!
We tried to find someone to renew their vows on top of the SnowWoman pile, to no avail…but the volunteers had a great time anyway! Bob and Joan Westfall, new residents of Bethel, spent their Valentine’s Day together shoveling and stomping! How romantic…. Today, Feb. 15th the volunteers worked hard and filled two forms…great job! Jim and Mandy Sysko, our crew “chiefs” are really providing terrific leadership with the volunteers, the Bancroft Contracting crane operators and the Savage Contracting trucks bringing snow in from the Bethel Airport.
Progress has seemed slow…but the first few layers are really big and require a lot of snow, and shoveling. Now that we are on to the 8th form, the SnowWoman’s body is getting more slender, and the progress skyward will be faster. We estimate that we are now at almost 56′…almost half way! She is about ready to get her first “button,” a skidder tire that will be added later. A four foot “log” will be embedded in the current layer to secure the tire when it is added.
We have had so much help on this project from the business community and volunteers…it has just been incredible! We have had fuel donations from Irving Oil, Woodstock & Burke Oil, Dead River Co., Brooks Bros., C.N. Brown Co., and Dixfield Discount Fuel. Equipment donations have been provided by Bancroft Contracting, Sunday River Ski Resort, D.A. Wilson Co., United Rentals, NES Rentals, ProQuip Rentals, Trask-Decrow Machinery, Norsemen Cycles, Bethel Inn Nordic Ski Center, Cross Excavation, Savage Contracting, Central Maine Power, Snap Electric, Western Maine Supply, Oxford Networks and the Town of Bethel.
The volunteers are working hard and we are happy to feed them with the help of our chamber members. We are still seeking food donations for the next ten days, but so far, we’d like to thank: The Inn at the Rostay, Pat’s Pizza, Subway, Victoria Inn & Restaurant, Marta’s Bakery, Briar Lea/Jolly Drayman, L’Auberge Bistro, S.S. Milton, Good Food Store, Sassafras Market, and Crossroads Diner. Coca-Cola Bottling Co. of Northern New England has provided all the cold beverages and Rooster’s Roadhouse is supplying the hot beverages.
The SnowWoman’s hat is done! The students at Mt. Valley Middle School in Mexico had a ton of fun measuring, cutting and sewing the giant fleece hat! Check out the photos.