Marge Glowa, Capital Campaign Director/Volunteer, of the Adirondack Carousel, accepts a check for $2000 from the Rotary Club of Saranac Lake. The generous donation was presented by Rotary President Jared Stark at the unveiling of the Carousel’s Deer in August. Also pictured is William Underwood, the carver.
As of November 4, 23 of the Adirondack Carousel animals have been officially named. The elementary students of the Saranac Lake Central School district (Petrova, Bloomingdale, St. Bernard’s and home-schools) undertook the grand task with pride. Fifth grade students had the honor of brainstorming and choosing four names for each animal. Students in grades Kindergarten through 5 then took their assignment very seriously and voted on their favorites.
Each and every vote was tallied and the list compiled. Today the Adirondack Carousel and the Saranac Lake elementary students formally introduce some of the newest members of the community by name: Flipper (Bass), Paws (Bear), Chuck (Beaver), Bug-Eye (Blackfly), Bubbles (Great Blue Heron), Moonlight (Bobcat), John (Deer), Thunder (Draft Horse), Soarin (Eagle), Flames (Fox), Lilly (Frog), Harry (Hare), Lucy (Loon), Beethoven (Moose), Oliver (Otter), Spike (Porcupine), Ranger (Racoon), Red Storm (Red Squirrel), Wiggly (Salamander), Spencer (Skunk), Twitter (Thrush), Buck (Toad), and Shelly (Turtle).
It should be noted there were some very close races (Twitter won by 2 votes over Chirp and Feathers) and a few landslides (Chuck overpowered Justin Beaver, and Red Storm won hands down over L’il Red and Squirrely Sam), but all of the animals are quite happy with their new names and are patiently waiting for the day they can welcome the students to the Carousel.
Construction continues daily at the William Morris Park in Saranac Lake. Thanks to the generosity of an increasing number of volunteers who stop by the site to offer an hour, a few minutes or an afternoon of their time to be a part of the magic, the Carousel continues to be “built by community hands.”
Spike the Porcupine, the Adirondack Carousel’s latest family member, meets the community at an unveiling event at Saranac Village at Will Rogers on Sept. 29. “Spike” was the favorite by far over other choices, Needles, Porky and Marvin.