Ice Out Winners Announced!

Here's the news you've been waiting for - the names of the two winners of the 2020 Ice Out Contest. Shelly Walker sent this press release today:

The 2020 Joe's Pond Ice Out winners are Angela Buttura from Essex Junction who is a summer resident on Barre Avenue and Nancy Durand from Hardwick.  They each will receive a check for $2294.00.  10,652 tickets were sold for this year's contest.  On-line ticket sales made up a higher percentage of ticket sales likely because of the corona virus pandemic.  Ice Out tickets for the 2021 Ice Out contest will go on sale soon!I

That is good to know. Angela is a Joe's Ponder and has bought many tickets over the years. I'm so glad she finally won. Congratulations to both Angela and Nancy.

As most of you know, the clock stopped at 6:07 a.m. on April 15, 2020. There have been a few others who were close, but nobody was closer than Angela and Nancy, who both had 6:05.

Almost all of the ice is gone from the pond now - there was only a little left in the very northernmost section of the pond, thick enough to support this eagle. This photo was taken by Jay Chatot after Nick Flanders pointed it out to him as they met on the rail/trail. Jay was on his bike and Nick was walking his dog when they met near the bridge across the channel. Jay told me the eagle flew away and perched in a big tree on Toll's Island. Now we will all be worried about the loon family, if we have one this year.

Now, the sun is shining after a dreary start to the day, and all seem serene here. Each day we hear that someone else is returning from their winter homes to Joe's Pond, and it is especially appreciated that they are self-quarantining for 14 days. We hope they will remember to wear masks when they do go out, and respect the six-foot social distancing rule. We enjoy seeing our friends return each summer, but this year we have to be extra careful as people who have no symptoms at all can still be carriers of the Corona virus. It is a real threat, especially to older people and people with other health difficulties, so as you return, make proper arrangements to have your summer home stocked with food and ready, and take proper precautions to protect yourself and your neighbors, please.