What goes up, must come down: Willow Bill needs reindeer help
As you drive along Highway 395 during the holiday season, there’s a good chance you’ve noticed the little wooden reindeer wrapped in lights. Those are the Willow Reindeer, and it’s an art project that gets bigger every year.
Hundreds of handcrafted willow reindeer are installed along 62 miles of Highway 395, spanning from south of Gardnerville all the way north of Reno. And now it’s time for them to head back to the North Pole, but it’s a task too large for one man.
The Willow Reindeer project started when Willow Bill took some pieces of willow into his son's DARE class in 1998 for the purpose of helping the kids create a willow sculpture. By the end of the class and after a lot of work they had a reindeer, leaving the student's teachers stunned at the captivation and engagement of their students in first-hand learning about willows, art, and history.
The Willow Reindeer Project was born. By the end of 2016, Willow Bill had worked with over 42,000 Nevada elementary students with the goal of facilitating the nation's largest art project. Every one of the willow reindeer bears the names of the children that participating in creating it.
This week, Willow Bill is seeking trucks, trailers, and helping hands to get the reindeer safely to their storage. Each workday will begin at 10 a.m. and even an hour of help can go a long way.
Wednesday, Jan. 3: Reno
Thursday, Jan. 4: Washoe City and Pleasant Valley
Friday, Jan. 5: Minden
Saturday, Jan. 6: Gardnerville
If you have a truck, a trailer, or just some free time, please give Willow Bill Goulardt a call at 775-842-3594. For more information on the Willow Reindeer Project, go to WillowBill.com