LAST CRANE FOUND

Cranes On Parade: Fractional Crane, John Fronczak

  

AXTELL - After it had been missing for nearly four months, Kenwood Elementary School Principal Pat Zeimet was anxious this morning to see the school's fiberglass crane.

Mirage, along with three other Cranes on Parade cranes were taken in April. All had been found except Mirage.

"What a wonderful way to begin the school year," Zeimet said.

The crane, decorated by Kenwood students, was found Wednesday in a shelterbelt about one mile west of Axtell.

Mariah Popple, 10, of Axtell was exploring in the ditch near her grandfather's field when she came across the crane, her mother, Jan, told the Hub. The crane was lying in some brush about 20 feet back from Kearney County Road 22.

"She was so excited," Jan Popple said. "You know you always hope you find something neat when you go exploring. She couldn't believe she found something like this. And how fun that it was found at the start of school."
Photo by Scott McLaughlin
Mirage, created by students at Kenwood Elementary School. Sponsored by ReFind, Golden K Kiwanis International, the Kearney Artist Guild, Tom & Sue Reiber and Mary Ruff.
By AMY SCHWEITZER
and VICKI RICE
 Hub Staff Writers
Popple said they called the Kearney County Sheriff who came out in just a cruiser and had to call for backup to get the 6-foot-tall crane back to the evidence garage.

The Buffalo County Sheriff's Department will have to transport the bird from Minden.

Zeimet said she was told there are pieces missing on the bottom, the back is scraped up and missing a picture and the beak has some damage, but that the crane is not in too bad of shape.

Popple said she thought it looked like the statue had been in the ditch for some time.

Kenwood was scheduled to get a replacement crane today, but Zeimet wants to see time and energy put into fixing Mirage instead of doing a new crane. She hopes Mirage will be ready in time for Gibbon's Art in the Park event Sept. 14, and can be displayed with the other cranes there.

Zeimet said she wants to thank the girl who found the crane, possibly even making her an honorary Kenwood Elementary School Cougar.

"We're so happy he's home," she said.
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reprinted with permission from Kearney Hub, August 14, 2003