NEWS

Carousel herd welcomes fawn and giraffe to platform

Capi Lynn
Statesman Journal
Volunteer carver Merill Halfman works on Sweet Pea the llama at Salem's Riverfront Carousel on Monday, Nov. 14, 2016. It takes over a year for each carousel animal to be designed, hand-carved and painted. The dragon figure is still being carved, and does not yet have a name.

A long-necked beauty from the savanna and a white-tailed charmer from the woodlands have joined the menagerie at Salem’s Riverfront Carousel.

Harriett the giraffe and Blackberry the fawn, Nos. 3 and 4 of the “New Dream” lineup, were introduced to the public Nov. 5.

The New Dream project is an ongoing fundraiser for the carousel, which celebrated its 15th birthday this past summer. The carousel has had to find creative ways to cover expenses for an attraction that is open 360 days of the year and entertains more than 300,000 visitors annually.

For a $15,000 donation, a sponsor has the privilege of choosing a new animal that will be added to the carousel and give the 44 sturdy but delicate horses a break when they need repairs.

Mr. Hopkins the frog and Pancho the elephant broke the equine barrier before Harriett and Blackberry. Six more animals are in various stages of development, from Sweet Pea the llama and a yet-to-be-named dragon in the carving room to the Oregon Duck and Oregon State Beaver in the sketch book. A Hereford heifer and a skunk also are in the works.

It takes well over a year for a carousel animal to be designed, hand-carved and painted, and virtually all of the work is done by volunteers. It took carvers 1,275 hours to create Blackberry from blocks of basswood, for example, and painters another 211 hours to bring her to life.

Waiting for the paint to cure never gets easier. The carousel waits six months before sending each figure to have an auto body-strength clear coat applied.

The carousel unveiled the fawn the same day as the giraffe, with regret that Harriett Wilson was absent. The Dallas woman, namesake for the 6-foot-tall giraffe, died earlier this year. Harriett Wilson did get to see the figure after it was carved and moved to the carousel to be painted.

Duck mascot on Salem carousel? We're not horsing around

The Oregon Duck

The unveiling of the much-anticipated Duck and Beaver is at least a year off and carousel officials are already dreaming of a tailgate-style celebration, complete with marching band, cheerleaders and, of course, the lovable mascots for the University of Oregon and Oregon State University in the feathers and fur.

Ideally, it would happen around this time next year, leading up to the Civil War football game. Fans for the in-state rivals will be desperate for something to cheer about if the on-field trends continue with the Ducks and Beavers, bottom feeders in the Pac-12 Conference.

The carousel signed a trademark license agreement with Oregon in the fall of 2014 and with Oregon State about nine months later. The licenses are limited to the carousel figure only, and there are no fees or royalties involved.

Benny the Beaver

Salem carousel signs latest recruit, Benny the Beaver

Volunteer carvers and painters are lining up to work on the figure that represents the school they root for. Carving could potentially start within a couple of months, according to Sandy Walker, artistic director for the carousel. Walker designs the figures with input from the sponsors.

“The groups are hoping to work on them at the same time," Walker said, "so we can keep this little rivalry going on."

“Forward This” appears Wednesdays and Sundays and highlights the people, places and organizations of the Mid-Willamette Valley. Contact Capi Lynn at clynn@StatesmanJournal.com or 503-399-6710, or follow her the rest of the week on Twitter @CapiLynn and Facebook @CapiLynnSJ.

Dream lineup

Ten new animals are planned for the growing menagerie at Salem’s Riverfront Carousel. They are part of the “New Dream” fundraiser project, which enables a sponsor to choose a new animal to add to the carousel for a $15,000 donation. For those interested in adopting a new animal, contact carousel executive director Marie Bradford-Blevins at 503-540-0374, or marieb@salemcarousel.org.

Mr. Hopkins the frog: He made his debut on the platform in June 2014. The frog was adopted by family and friends of the late Don Hopkins, a longtime carousel board member. It features a tennis racket and a fishing hat because Hopkins loved both activities.

Pancho the elephant: He made his debut on the platform in January 2015. The elephant was adopted by the Puentes family and named Pancho after George Puentes’ father. Mexican and American flags are painted on the elephant’s blanket, along with a plow and cornstalks for the tortilla company founded by the Puentes brothers.

Blackberry the fawn: She made her debut on the platform on Nov. 5, 2016. The fawn was adopted by Scott and Annie Manning and their three children. They chose the animal and the name because they enjoy seeing the deer and picking the blackberries on their property. Three chickadees, a baby mouse nestled in a leaf, a ladybug, a June bug and butterflies represent the children. The squirrel perched on Blackberry’s rump represents “BAM,” in honor of a family member who died.

Harriett the giraffe: She made her debut on the platform on Nov. 5, 2016. The 6-foot-tall giraffe was adopted by Tom and Harriett Wilson, and Tom was adamant she be named after his wife. Harriett the giraffe is adorned with pansies, forget-me-nots, hummingbirds, a butterfly and a heart carved with “T + H” on her breastplate, all of which represent the couple’s love for each other and nature.

Sweet Pea the llama: Final carving touches are being done at the carousel. The llama is being adopted by Bill and Judy Meier and their two adult children and spouses. Crouched behind Sweet Pea’s saddle is a blue-eyed cat named Lily, in honor of the family pet.

Yet-to-be-named dragon: Carving on the dragon is being done at the carousel. The dragon was adopted by the Thursday Carvers, a group of volunteers who carve on that day. They hope to have local schoolchildren help name her. Part of the design will include an egg with a baby dragon inside. She will hold a shield emblazoned with a set of carving tools.

Dakota Darlin’ the Hereford heifer: Final drawings have been completed by artistic director Sandy Walker, and blocks of wood are being prepared for carving, which will take place at the carousel. The heifer is being adopted by Lillis Larson, whose father was a cattle rancher in South Dakota. Dakota Darlin’ features cowboy boots on her hind hooves, a green blanket adorned with a pheasant and a four-leaf clover on her back, and a blue ribbon near her harness.

Sweet Tart the skunk: The design for the skunk is nearly complete, although Walker has yet to produce final drawings. The skunk is being adopted by Darcy Toronto, a wildlife rehabilitator who raises orphaned and injured skunks.

The Duck: A preliminary sketch has been produced by Walker, who will next meet with sponsors to discuss design elements. The Duck is being co-adopted by Ozzie Rose and Pat Abeene. The University of Oregon will get final approval on the design of the figure, which will look just like the Duck mascot you see riding into Autzen Stadium on the back of a Harley-Davidson and doing push-ups after each time the Oregon football team scores. His uniform includes a long sleeve green shirt with a large yellow "O" on the front, a yellow bandanna around his neck, and no pants. He also wears a green sailor hat with "OREGON" on the front in yellow.

Benny the Beaver: A preliminary sketch has been produced by Walker, who will next meet with  sponsors to discuss design elements. The Beaver is being adopted by friends and family of the late Don Bourne, an Oregon State graduate. Oregon State University will get final approval on the design of the figure, which will look just like Benny the Beaver you see at Reser Stadium. He has two buck teeth and fierce eyes that stand out because they are white and in stark contrast to his brown fur. He has a large, flat tail and will wear a football uniform with the No. 0 jersey in some combination of orange, black and white.