Save The Strawberry of Owego

SAVE THE STRAWBERRY!

Aka: Rebuild the Owego Strawberry

The iconic, chainsaw carved, bright red wooden Strawberry sits proudly on the Front Street bank of the Susquehanna River, acting as a focal point for Owego and Tioga County NY Tourism, for resident and visitor selfie photography, for artistic renderings, for advertising. It has become symbolic of the beauty and energy of Owego.

Unfortunately, the Strawberry is deteriorating, attacked by water, age, carpenter ants and woodpeckers. It has decayed extensively, and will soon be unstable and unsafe. Professional assessment has determined that we are losing it, that it cannot be repaired.

The Strawberry was originally carved many years ago by Chris Eberly, an arborist and tree specialist, amazingly entirely out of 1 large piece of black walnut. It was placed where it now sits, on the Front Street riverbank, after the 2011 Susquehanna River flood. It has been proudly displayed in several Strawberry Festival parades, and has become a symbol of the Village of Owego.

Concerned Village residents and business people are coming together to request help rebuilding the Strawberry. Historic Owego Marketplace, host of the annual Owego Strawberry Festival, is supporting the effort. JR Carving, of Elmira NY, has been retained to carve a new Strawberry, to emerge out of a large trunk of a damaged tree from the Pumpelly House on Front Street in Owego. Justin Hulslander, of J.Hulslander Custom Concrete Inc., has been engaged to provide a permanent base for the new Strawberry carving. His team has designed a stylized stamped concrete base and steel support, to accept the new large wood piece soon to become the Strawberry. Richards Monument Service of Owego will assist with a new Owego NY sign sandblasted into the concrete base. The actual Carving of the Strawberry will happen Saturday, June 15th, on the riverbank where the original Strawberry resides, during the Strawberry Festival! Please come join in the fun!

We are asking for your help, you have the opportunity to contribute to this rebirth! A Go-Fund-Me Campaign has been developed to support the project, since the total cost will exceed $5800.00. Because the Strawberry carving resides on private property, no municipal grants or funds are available.

Once the cost of the restoration is satisfied, any further fund donations will be presented to support the Historic Owego Marketplace Strawberry Festival.