Sculpturing in sand takes united effort

Entries included depictions of the Daytona Speedway and OSU stadium.
By SEAN BARRON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
YOUNGSTOWN -- If you wanted to see the Lincoln Memorial, you could have saved a five-hour drive to Washington, D.C., and headed to Mill Creek MetroParks instead.
It may not have been the real marble deal, but you would have been treated to a replica that spared few details nonetheless -- and all from sand.
"Everyone wants something that is part of America," said Kelly Phillips of Austintown, one of several family members who chiseled, patterned and designed the sand sculpture depicting the country's 16th president.
For their efforts, Phillips, her husband, Michael, and three other family members took home a first-place cash prize of $100 in Sunday's 14th annual sand sculpture competition at the park's Wick Recreation Area. The three-hour competition was part of a Sunfest event, sponsored by 7 Up and TV stations WFMJ Channel 21 and WBCB, and was set up with the focus on family-related activities.
Here's the scene
With trowels, straws, shovels and spray paint in hand, participants went to work in high heat and humidity designing, among other things, sand depictions of the Daytona Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla.; the Mayan Temple ruins; and the Jack Rabbit, a tribute to the popular roller-coaster ride at Idora Park.
Second place went to the Wednesday Walkers, a group of men and women who sculpted a lighthouse. The third-place winner was Megan McNally of Poland,, who entered an alligator named Albert Gator.
Other entries were several castles, King Tut and animals climbing up Noah's Ark.
The event had 20 entries and featured architecture and man-made structures as its themes. Three judges were on hand to decide the first-, second-, third- and fourth-place finishers, all of whom received cash prizes; children who took part received $5 gift certificates.
Plans to build a tall Indian were sidelined partly because the sand was too difficult to stack, so instead of throwing in the shovel, Dee Hill and Audrey Showers came up with a 6-foot-long mermaid. The Youngstown women said this was their first time in the competition.
Winning a prize wasn't the top priority for Lacey Cameron, Erica Phillips, Suzie Taylor and Katie Morris, all of Austintown, but creating something that set them apart from their competition was. So with their hands as well as plenty of water, spray paint, glitter and patience, their brainstorm turned into "ET Float Home," a twist on the 1982 movie "ET," and a fourth-place finish.
"We like to tease the audience and be funny, and we like it when people admire our work," Lacey said.
Even though Marilyn Steiner of Lancaster, Ohio, doesn't consider herself an Ohio State Buckeyes' football fan, you would never know it by seeing the sculpture she and daughter Mandy put together. In about two hours, the duo constructed a replica of OSU stadium, complete with beads representing the marching band's tradition of spelling "Ohio" on the field.
Family event
Steiner, who finished in first place at the event two years ago, said she's participated in every sand competition and added that she appreciated seeing families and children working together.
Those who needed help, lessons, new ideas or a shot of inspiration, needed only to turn to Laurie Arntz-Tournoux of Louisville, Ohio, a professional master sand carver who competes internationally. Arntz-Tournoux, who's also a full-time tax administrator, said her specialties include carving angels and other religious statues as well as imprinting various logos on her works.
Arntz-Tournoux was busy at Sunday's competition converting an estimated three tons of sand into an elaborate castle. She also was ready to offer her "tricks of the trade" to anyone seeking her expertise.
"My job is to help people make sure their structures stay together," she said. "They brought me in to give insight and direction, and the whole idea is to get [participants' projects] off the ground."
Most people who entered the event knew what they wanted to construct, but others came up with ideas as they got to work, explained Tom Bresko, the park's recreation director. Despite the heavy emphasis on the competition, the main focus was on ensuring that everyone had fun, Bresko added.
The Sunfest also included a Closest to the Pin Tournament on the Par 3 golf course as well as a one-mile hike. The program wrapped up with performances by First Degree, a local band that plays music from the 1960s and '70s, and No Bad Ju Ju, a Pittsburgh-based, horn-driven R & amp;B and soul band.