By JoAnn Laird
Pagosa Springs Rotary Club
Spring has sprung and the Lake Hatcher ice melted enough to drop the 55-gallon barrel, containing a clock, to the depths of the lake. This proved bad news for the clock, but great news for three lucky people who won some serious money.
The contest was based on guessing the exact date, hour, minute and second that the ice would melt enough to drop the barrel in the water, thus stopping the clock. There was a tie for first place. Winning $1,000 for the closest guesses are Terry Barger and Larry McClintock. Walt Moore came in second place, winning $500 and third place went to Mike Vanover, winning $250.
Sounds like an easy contest, but there’s more than meets the eye. Getting the barrel on the lake’s 2-foot-thick ice in early March was a bit of a chore, as there’s always the chance of slipping and falling. Retrieving the barrel from the cold watery depths is another story.
The barrel initially dropped into the water on April 6, around 3 p.m. The fire department launched a 20-foot rescue boat to bring the barrel and now-useless clock to shore.
All proceeds from this contest will go toward the Rotary Scholarship Fund for Pagosa Springs High School graduates.
When cabin fever sets in for 2022, this fun, profitable and rewarding contest will be back to help chase those blues away. In 2019, the winning date was April 9. In 2020 we must have had a heat wave, as the winning date was March 25. This year was April 6. Tuck this important information away for next year. It’s the last time you’ll get a tip.
