Happy Holidays to you and yours, Cordova!
The Cordova Iceworm Festival has been the best cure for the winter blues since 1961. It is our mission to bring together friends, old and new, through rich and diverse community events that celebrate our strength, history, and creativity. With a new committee elected in 2015, we hope to revitalize the festival with a new energy while keeping the heritage that past volunteers of the community have instilled in the festival.
You may have already noticed some of this new energy, in our Facebook posts, our new website, or in last years festival. For the Iceworm Board, it’s always Iceworm time. We “worm out” almost monthly, and lately, bimonthly to plan the next festival and beyond.
Last year, with the help of donations from the community, we invested $5000 in a new Baby Iceworm. This year, so far, we have invested another $4000 for new banners. All of these things help contribute new life to a long-loved festival. Due to the wear and tear of many happy years, the current Big Worm is in need of replacement. It has been repaired year after year and is on the verge of completely falling apart.
After hours and hours of research, and reaching out to over 20 different vendors, we were able to find someone who was not only willing to build our worm, but had the vision and experience to make it happen!
Total Fabrication is in the process of building our worm, and is “Headed by Emmy®-nominated designer Kenneth J. Hall, who has over 35 years’ experience in commercials, motion pictures, television, theater, theme parks, and trade shows.” You may recognize some of his work from the big screens. (Visit him on the web at totalfab.com) We should have a mock up soon that we will share with you!
With that excitement came the realization of cost. The new Big Worm will cost approximately $12,000 to replace. This is the highlight of the Iceworm parade and is enjoyed by all, big and small. To date, we have raised $4,274.89 through cash donations and go fund me donations. Alaska Airlines has donated the cost of shipping, and we project we still need about $5,725 to bring the worm home in January.
So, this is where we need your help Cordova. Please take a moment to think of what the Iceworm Festival means to you, enjoy our photos of past parade worms, and consider donating to this great cause. Money spent on this worm goes to the worm, and will be loved by future generations for years to come.
Money can be donated on the gofundme page at www.gofundme.com/cordova-iceworm-festivals-big-worm. Money can also be given to any Iceworm Board member, particularly Kelsey at CDFU or Jessica at GCI.
Please help us continue the spirit of Iceworm and contribute to the investment of our new Big Worm. And do not hesitate to reach out to a board member if you have any questions at all! Thank you for all your support.
Sincerely,
The Iceworm Board
Ria Beedle – President
Kelsey Appleton – Vice President
Shannon Jones – Treasurer
Jessica Arasmith – Secretary
Anya Honkola – Director
Emma Merritt – Director
Christa Hoover – Director
