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Fun In The Sunfest
Sand Sculptures Panorama
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A view of the sand sculptures during Sunfest at the Mill Creek MetroParks, Sunday, July 26, 2009.
Sunfest Sand Sculptures
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TAKING SHAPE: From left, Gladys Antonelli, Brenda Metz, Linda Miller and Mark Dolak of the Wednesday Walkers build a sand sculpture at Mill Creek MetroParks’ annual Sunfest sand sculpting contest Sunday in the Wick Recreational Area near the Judge Morley Pavilion. Using photo references, they are working on a replica of The Pioneer Pavilion located in the park. The Wednesday Walkers also sculpted The Old Mill in the park, which took first prize in the Adult Division of the contest.
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PATTING IT DOWN: Twelve-year-olds Rachel Zedaker and Ryann Brown of Hubbard work on The Turtle Sunday competing in a sand sculpture contest during Mill Creek MetroParks’s annual Sunfest. Rachel’s and Ryann’s work of art took first place in the Children’s Division.
Sand-sculpted works of art highlight day
By WILLIAM K. ALCORN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
Turtles, dolphins, castles and a jolly fellow with a beard and red hat named Sandy Claus were among the delightful creations in Mill Creek MetroParks annual sand sculpture contest.
The sand creations were part of MetroParks’ annual Sunfest Sunday at the Wick Recreation Area. Other Sunfest activities included a nearest-the-pin golf contest, a nature hike and a concert, said Tom Bresko, park recreation director.
There were 27 entries in the sand sculpture contest, which Bresko started 20 years ago.
Prizes ranging from $5 to $100 were awarded to winners in the children and adult divisions, but contestants say they participated because it’s a fun activity.
“It’s the most fun you can have for $5,” said one contestant. Five dollars was the cost of entering the contest. Sculptors had three hours, from 1 to 4 p.m., to turn one ton of sand into a work of art.
“Playing in the sand, it’s like being a kid again,” said Mark Dolak of Austintown, a member of the Wednesday Walkers, a group that had two entries. Both were replicas of sites in the park: Pioneer Pavilion and The Old Mill, the latter of which took first place in the Adult Division.
The Wednesday Walkers not only walk for exercise in the park, they are all park volunteers, said one of the walkers, Brenda Metz of Mineral Ridge.
A trip to Egypt inspired the Great Sphinx and pyramids of Valley of Giza entry of Amy Nilsson, a teacher at Howland Glen Elementary School. Her children, Cassandra, Zachary and Hunter Murcko, ages 10, 9 and 5, made a sea turtle that took second prize in the Children Division. They said they brought a bunch of plastic animals to help them decide on a sculpture subject, and the turtle won.
Another family’s sculpture started out to be a Volkswagen Beetle, but evolved into a hump-backed whale before ending up as a dolphin and its baby, aptly named Motherly Love. That’s what happens when you have six kids involved in the project, said Jim Howells and Melissa Telega of Fairview, Pa. Seven-year-old Kenzee was the chief builder, Howells said.
This was the 12th year that the Steiner family participated in the sand sculpture, said Margaret Steiner of Austintown. Her daughter and granddaughter, Marilyn and Mandy Steiner of Lancaster, have been in the event for several years, and this year several other grandchildren, Kristy and Jack Shattuck of Hubbard and Taylor Steiner of Boardman, also participated. The Steiner creation, Sandy Claus, took third place in the Adult Division.
alcorn@vindy.com
The top three winners in each division at Sunday’s sand sculpture contest at Sunfest were:
Children: Rachel Zedaker and Ryann Brown of Hubbard, The Turtle, first; The Murckos of Howland , Sea Turtle, second; Serena Kennedy of Austintown, Cinderella’s Castle, third.
Adult: Wednesday Walkers, Old Mill, first; Jacob Kohut, Crocodile, second; Steiner family, Sandy Claus, third.