News

Jeff Parness visits Bottineau to finalize Annie's House plans

By Tyler Ohmann

08/14/2012

With less than a month left to go until the big Annie’s House project at the Bottineau Winter Park (BWP) gets into full swing, Jeff Parness, the founder of the New York Says Thank You Foundation, which has spearheaded the project, was in town again to get the ball rolling.

Parness first visited many of the trails in the BWP area with Steve Van Riper of the US Fish and Wildlife Service to finalize plans for a side project to make the revamped BWP area, which will now include an adaptive ski program, a four-season destination for those with disabilities.

Anne Nelson was the only North Dakota native killed in the 9/11 terror attacks. Parness met with her parents to plan a project in her honor, as the Parness’ foundation has done on every 9/11 anniversary for the past several years.

In meeting with Van Riper, Parness was astounded by the diversity of views that the trails could offer those that visit them.

“What’s special for me is the topography,” Parness said. “You go from the lake to forest to open meadows, that could be a great experience for people that travel here.”

However, Parness didn’t just visit trails, on Saturday morning Parness and Van Riper met with local community leaders, who will be assisting in running all the events that will take place Sept. 6-9 to make the Annie’s House project come to fruition.

“This thing will be real simple—it will be chaos,” Parness said. “But a good chaos.”

Parness helped layout a schedule along with Diane Olson of the Bottineau EDC. He went through the many events that will take place, including a stitching ceremony on a large 20-foot by 30-foot American flag that was tattered as it wove above ground zero following the terrorist attacks. Since, Parness has been bringing the flag and patching and stitching it at every 9/11 anniversary project that he will do.

“We want to have people who do special work in the community to do this,” Parness said.

Also planned is some fun time and entertainment as well. There are plans to have wife carrying softball contest, as well as live entertainment on Saturday, Sept. 8.

Also on Saturday Parness and other will have a pay it forward ceremony, in which a ceremonial tool belt is passed from local coordinators of last years project to the ones from the Annie’s House project. Parness said this was an emotional event in years past.

“That’s almost when the weekend really feels like it begins, especially on an emotional level,” Parness said.

Other events throughout the week include a Stars of Hope campaign in both Minot and possibly at BWP, as well as work on the trails, a community quilt and a MASH pole, and many other things.
On Sunday the weekend will wrap up with a  tree ceremony and service, which Parness also said gets a bit emotional.

“The tree ceremony is always great,” Parness said. “When you think of all the work that got done over the weekend, it gets very emotional, but it’s cathartic.”

A couple things have struck Parness dearly in working to get this project going—the Bottineau community and the other previous communities that are coming to help here too.

“I’m blown away at how this community responded,” Parness said. “We’re really honored to be working with you guys.”

Parness knew that volunteer numbers would be down this year due to location, but has been amazed at the support that he has heard.

“I knew that since this was a little out of the way that our numbers would be down,” Parness said of the Annie’s House project. “But what really humbles me is that guys like the 20 or so that are coming all the way from Slidell, La. These are guys that haven’t even seen snow, and seven or eight are driving here.”

While construction has already started at the site, and projects will begin being worked on prior to Sept. 6. Things officially get kicked off with a welcome dinner at 6 p.m. on Sept. 6.

Many local organizations are helping with the project. If anyone wishes to volunteer they can find out information about it by contacting the Bottineau Chamber, BWP or visiting BWP’s website www.skibwp.com or their facebook page.