Engineers make Rondy snow sculptures possible

  • Published
  • By Air Force Staff Sgt. Zachary Wolf
  • JBER Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  Snow is more than abundant in Alaska and some people will be happy when it melts, but thanks to the 773rd Civil Engineer Squadron, the snow downtown has been used for something else. The 773rd CES compressed the snow into blocks for a snow sculpting competition as part of Fur Rendezvous in Anchorage. It starts out as a block of snow - but turns into a work of art.

The blocks were made inside a box metal form. That form was placed with a crane and filled with snow from a snow blower placed underneath the A street bridge and across the street from the Comfort Inn on Ship Creek Avenue.

"A metal form, a crane, two front-end loaders, and a snow blower were all used to make the blocks," said Senior Airman Matthew Posan, 773d Civil Engineer Squadron pavement and construction equipment operator. "We used a crane to place the metal form, the two front-end loaders to place snow for the snow blower, the snow blower filled the metal form, and then the crane lifted the form and the block was complete."

In all it took a little more than 16 hours to place and fill all 24 blocks.

"I think any way to get involved in something like Fur Rondy would be a positive thing," said Posan, the Indianapolis native. "Helping out in a big local event like that feels good."
Robert Service High School is one high school that took part in creating art out of a block of snow.

For Adam Ahonen, a Service High School special education teacher, this is the ninth year he has participated in the snow sculpting competition with his students. The group that worked on the sculpture with Ahonen, were his students and members of the Service High Partner's Club.

The Service High Partner's Club is a group that brings students with disabilities and those without together to do community outings.

"(Members of the club) vote on the theme each year and then a student designs it. This year they picked a wolf," Ahonen said.

In addition to the snow sculpting, the Partner's Club also does a tailgate party every year.
"It's a pretty special event for us to be part of," Ahonen said.

The snow sculpting is part of the Fur Rendezvous which is a 10-day celebration in Anchorage, Alaska.

"It's a fun thing to do and cool for the community to come look at all the sculptures," said Zoe Bailey, a freshman at Robert Service High School.

Fur Rendezvous is a special event that started in 1935 and has been bringing people all over Alaska and the world together.

"The city is so spread out and it's nice when everyone can come together and get involved," said Joel Rardin, a teacher at Robert Service High School.