Chainsaw carvers good for charity

Sara Keen tries out the love couch she created from redwood at the Oamaru chainsaw carving...
Sara Keen tries out the love couch she created from redwood at the Oamaru chainsaw carving contest on Saturday to raise money for two charities. The couch fetched top price of $800 in the auction. Photo by David Bruce.
Owners of four carvings from the annual Oamaru chainsaw carving and auction on Saturday also have a piece of Oamaru history.

The redwood logs used, including one for the love couch by Sara Keen which sold for the highest price, came from trees planted by early settler and public figure George Sumpter to mark the births of his children.

The trees had recently been removed from a property and were given to the charity event organisers, Oamaru Chainsaw and Mower.

In the second year of the event, six carvers - one more than last year - worked on their creations from 8am until the auction about 2.30pm.

They were competing for three chainsaws, provided by Echo.

The top prize went to Andy Clamp's penguin, second to the love couch and third to Matt King's carving of a woman.

Contest organiser Ann-marie Haydarieh said charities for this year were Sands, which provides support for still birth and near natal deaths, and to finance Oamaru children to Camp Quality.

Yesterday, the proceeds for the charities were still be tallied.

Mr Sumpter came to Oamaru in 1862 with his family. He became a Provincial Council member, Oamaru mayor, long-time chairman of the Oamaru Harbour Board, volunteer and eventual lieutenant-colonel of the local militia.

He died in November 1900 and is remembered with his name on Sumpter's Wharf in Oamaru.

 

Add a Comment