News
Annie's House build goes off without a hitch
Tyler Ohmann
09/11/2012
This past weekend the Bottineau Winter Park (BWP) was swarming with people, but they weren’t there to ski the slopes, they were there to volunteer.
That is because it was the official build weekend to work on the construction of Annie’s House, a ski chalet and adaptive ski facility that was dreamed up by Jeff Parness of the New York Says Thank You Foundation (NYSTY).
NYTSY began in 2004 as an idea by Parness’ son to help victims of the California Wildfires, in an effort to repay those who helped New Yorkers following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Since NYTSY has been rebuilding homes and other structures destroyed by natural disasters throughout the country.
They have been to communities in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, Georgia and now North Dakota.
Annie’s House Build weekend
Jeff Parness learned of Anne Nicole Nelson, the only North Dakotan lost in the World Trade Center attacks, a couple years back and met her parents Gary and Jenette Nelson of Stanley, N.D. He learned of a laptop that was returned to her mom, which had on it a ‘bucket list’ of Annie’s hopes and dreams.
After learning this information Parness decided that he wanted to make one of the dreams on Annie’s list come true. Since Annie was a humanitarian, skier and one day wanted to build a house back home in North Dakota, he dreamed the idea for Annie’s House an adaptive ski facility.
After more than a year’s worth of fundraising and planning efforts Annie’s House came to life this past weekend.
The events kicked off in Minot with the NYSTY helping rebuild a basement and sending out ‘Stars of Hope’ into the community that was ravaged by flooding last year.
Thursday
The project at the BWP officially began on Thursday evening as hundreds gathered at BWP for an opening ceremony and meal.
Speakers at the ceremony included: Parness, Jenette Nelson, Mary Stammen(Friend of Annie), Monty Meier (an Paralympic gold medalist skier), Sherri McKabe (ski instructor) and Wally Brandjord (president of the BWP board).
Hundreds were in attendance to the event that kicked off the official build weekend.
Within the attendants were state legislature members from Bottineau’s District 6, representative Bob Hunskor and senator David O’Connell.
“Whenever there is a tragedy, you can’t see what is over the mountain, it seems like that’s the way humanity is, we get in valleys, and we have troubled times, and we struggle with that,” Hunskor said. “We forget that over the mountain, because of that tragedy, good things are going to happen. That is the way this universe is set up, by somebody bigger than you and I.”
O’Connell was amazed by the amount of people, especially those from out of state that came all the way to Bottineau to help spur this project.
“It is just too bad that it has to be a tragedy to bring people together like this,” O’Connell said. “To think that there are people here from all over the United States, that is tremendous to see this, and to be part of it.”
Friday
The build kicked into full gear beginning on Friday morning. Volunteers strapped on their tool belts, hard hats and swung hammers all day working on various projects.
Aside from the main build, which had more than a hundred people working on it, many side projects throughout the BWP grounds took place.
Kids sanded and painted ‘Stars of Hope’ for use in communities throughout the country; volunteers crafted benches and built a fishing dock for the pond on the west side of BWP; about two miles worth of trails were cut and benches and pergolas were built for use along the trail system; various side buildings were constructed throughout the park, including one at the top of the ski runs; many other volunteers worked to park vehicles, register volunteers, cook meals and show North Dakota hospitality.
That evening Christian Jones, a scout that was helped in 2009 to rebuild the Little Sioux Boy Scout Camp in Iowa, held his Eagle Scout ceremony on the grounds. Following that volunteers let their hair down and many watched the new NYSTY educational film, which is going to be used to kick off the 9/12 Generation Project, and effort to educate young people not only about the tragedies of 9/11, but the patriotism, courage and love of everything that happened beginning on 9/12.
Saturday
On Saturday the construction effort continued and many side projects were wrapped up. At 1 p.m. the National 9/11 Flag was on display at the Bottineau Armory and community members were encouraged to place a stitch in the North Dakota portion of the flag.
The National 9/11 Flag is a flag that hung on ground zero during the cleanup efforts. Head cleanup supervisor Charlie Vitchers held on to the flag with plans of retiring it. However, he later decided to repair the flag using significant threads from other flags, with the goal of traveling to all 50 states.
The flag also includes threads from the original Star Spangled Banner that flew over Fort McHenry during the War of 1812, the same flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to pen our National Anthem.
Brandjord was overwhelmed by all the volunteers that showed up to help over the weekend.
“It is amazing,” Brandjord said. “I don’t know that there has been a single negative issue with it.”
He was also surprised by all the work that got done.
“A lot of people in the area have come up, and we got the trails done, about two miles of trails,” Brandjord said. “There is plenty to do yet, but we got a lot done. I know it wouldn’t have been doable if it wasn’t for this.”
“Just setting these ties for the carpet ride is a huge thing to have done, because that’s the other thing, for this building to work we have to be able to get up the hill,” Brandjord continued. “That’s going to be here about the end of the month, and we have to put that together and get that functional.”
Also taking place on Saturday was a group photo and a tool belt ceremony. The tool belt is passed on to a local volunteer each year, who then travel to the next build to pass it on. Each year a new tool is added to the belt. This year three belts were given out, two of them to Bottineau area citizens. Dan Fett and Dick Kornkven were chosen by Vitchers and other members of the build. They both plan on attending next year’s event to ‘pay it forward.’
Sunday
Sunday concluded the weekend with a procession down Main Street in Bottineau, followed by a church service, tree dedication ceremony and closing ceremony at the Bottineau Armory.
The procession was led by Bottineau Sherriff Steve Watson, the Bottineau American Legion Riders, a bag piper and Bottineau and other firefighters from around the country. Following them were all the volunteers that worked throughout the weekend.
Moving forward
Though a bulk of the work at BWP was completed this weekend, there is still a lot left to do.
“We’re going to get together with the board on Monday or Tuesday and put together a game plan,” Brandjord said. “We got to touch base with anyone in the area who is willing and able. We need skilled and unskilled persons, and we’re hoping that some of the local contractors can spend a day with us.”
The BWP board hopes to have the new chalet and program, including a new ‘magic carpet’ by Thanksgiving time.
“That is in just over two months, and is that realistic, I don’t know,” Brandjord said. “If we could have this usable and that carpet ride in my Thanksgiving, I’d say we are doing great.”
Brandjord also stated that the rental shop formerly west of the old chalet will now be located within the new Annie’s House structure in the southwest corner.
As for the old BWP chalet, no plans have been made for it as of yet.
“There is nothing definite at this time,” Brandjord said of the old chalet. “Ideally would be if it’s not going to get put to use here, to see it get moved and put to use somewhere else. If that would work out that would be great.”
Parness stated throughout the weekend how much he was amazed by the support of the Bottineau Community, and although many people came from all over the country and world to help, that it couldn’t have been done without local help.
Anyone interested in helping complete the Annie’s House build is asked to call the BWP at (701) 263-4556.