Pair Races to Build a Dugout Canoe
26 Aug
We were taken by Nick Halter’s Milwaukee Journal Sentinel story about 89-year-old Bernie Perszyk and 78-year-old Bob Nolan who are working hard to complete a 24-foot dugout canoe they are building for Milwaukee’s Indian Summer Festival.
Nolan had designs on the tree used in the project for a few years. It had been cut down on the grounds of St. Francis Seminary in Milwaukee where Nolan saved it from the firewood pile. After drying and debarking the 8,000 pound timber, his plan to have a canoe carved from the behemoth for last year’s festival were delayed by the death of this wife.
Now, with the help of Perszyk — who takes regular walks on the seminary grounds where Nolan worked on the boat and who ultimately volunteered his assistance — the pair believes they can bring a nearly finished canoe to the September 5-7 celebration.
You can read the full story of the unique pair’s efforts HERE.
There’s also THIS video that accompanies the story.
Note: We noticed some audio problems when we played the video.
