THE BONI´s

Ridgway Chainsaw Carving Rendezvous 2002 / Summary

The Ridgway Chainsaw Carving Rendezvous in its third year as a Charitable carving event hosted 97 chainsaw carvers from across the Country and around the world. Carvers from fourteen states as far away as Oregon, Maine and Florida participated. This year carvers from Japan, England, Scotland, Germany and Canada joined in the weekend carving festivities. Over $20,000 was generated for charitable donations. Monies were set aside for next year's event and also contributions were made towards the carving community in the form of aid and general chainsaw carving promotion.

         Most Carvers who have attended the Rendezvous would agree that it’s a mind-altering experience to participate and carve at this event. The international guests arrive through the week as well as other early birds to help with preparations.  Carvers are lodged in local hotels, bed and breakfasts, hunting camps and private homes. This year carvers were invited to an open house Spaghetti dinner at the American Legion on Thursday where invited guest Frank Garrison a member of the Survival Africa series signed autographs and interacted with the carvers and public.  Friday night Carvers convened at the Ridgway Moose and shared in a $10 a plate buffet. Local officials including the Mayor, YMCA director, Make-A-Wish director and the Chief of Police, (who had composed a Carvers Rendezvous song and enjoyed a standing ovation for his solo guitar performance), all welcomed us to Ridgway. A local Scotsman then warmed up the crowd with a powerful performance on his pipes. Carvers and local musicians continued the entertainment with several guitars, keyboards, banjo, and saxophone.

         Carving actually began on Wednesday along with grounds preparation and tent erection. With the snow going sideways our European counterparts stayed warm by revealing some sound looking work with chainsaws howling in the wind. Wayne our Ice Carving Engineer for the third year running busied himself with expediting materials and templates for this years wishing well. Each year a well is created with attending sculptures and live fish. Lights and Music are added for night- time viewing.

         Thursday proved to be another full day of carving with the Japanese fired up after a large breakfast at the Pennsey Restaurant. It was nearing dark before anyone could get them to stop.

         Along with the Ice Wishing well being created on Friday down town on the Court House lawn several individual blocks were carved by first timers and experienced ice carvers alike. A totem pole was also started at the Rendezvous site. A three-foot diameter Poplar log was laid on bunks and carvers took turns over the next four days to add a touch of their talent to this international carvers pole, which was donated to the American Legion and will stand in their yard along Route 219 for tourist viewing.

         Saturday started with a flag raising ceremony put on by the Boy Scouts and a shared thanks from a local minister. The bag piping Scotsman brought our blood to our hearts as he walked the length of the field finally welcoming the morning. You have to see this for yourself and you could never take it all in anyway. There is an ocean of information going on around you all at once. The noise, the smells, the eye candy appearing everywhere seemingly from nowhere.  What a stretch in concept and size and creations reaching in every direction.  Benches, head boards, bird houses, eight foot bears, dragons and Samurai warriors to Mr. Peanuts.  With all the odds pending on the auction, another three year veteran of the Rendezvous, Doug Redding who comes from Gettysburg to help us every year embellished the carvers efforts with his own brand of heroics.

         A dinner was held for the carvers, their friends and sponsors in the dining hall of the Royal Inn. Seven-year old Cody Peterson, assisted by our local Make-A-Wish rep was guest speaker and brought the house down in more ways than one.  Fieldstone and Friends, a local acoustic band added a blend of their talents to an already charged atmosphere.

         Sunday morning breakfast was served at the fire hall and carvers unite for a last chance to exchange information. Carvers announced up coming events and prizes were awarded for best hat and top carver at auction. Names were drawn from a box to award the remaining donated prizes.

         There are a hundred stories about the Rendezvous, everyone filled with heroics and adventure. Every one filled with the rewards of matching up to the challenge of being who we are. Every one, having a moral to the story. You could take the next year and go around and talk to the carvers and read about it in articles. You could look at all the pictures and watch all the videos but you'll have to be in Ridgway at the 2003 Ridgway Rendezvous and participate to even get a glimpse of what's really happening.

SUMMARY 2003