Festival is victim of theft

Published 10:53 am Thursday, October 2, 2008

Who would foil the fun of a festival?

Unknown suspects with a weakness for free T-shirts, that’s who.

About three weeks ago, festival committee members discovered the storage shed containing supplies for the Festival at Mount Si had been broken into and several items stolen. Tarps, 10 garbage cans, several Rubbermaid containers full of “Alpine Days” T-shirts and aprons, canopy tops, four custom-made hand washing stations for the chili cook-off and all of the financial records and paperwork for the annual event were lifted by unknown persons.

Now Jill Massengill, president of the festival committee, is scrambling to raise money to replace the items before festival time, Aug. 12-14. The committee had just purchased new tarps for more than $500. She estimates $1,000 worth of property was stolen and the event has no insurance to cover theft.

The storage shed is located behind a yellow house on Bendigo Way across from James L. Browning Family Dentistry. The thieves apparently broke the padlock on the shed.

Massengill believes the break-in occurred at least a month ago. She urges parents to keep an eye out for kids with a suspicious number of Alpine Days shirts, among other items they have no use for.

“It’s that kind of thing some kids might have done and miraculously turn up with four dozen shirts,” said Massengill.

To make a donation to help keep the Festival at Mount Si on track, call Massengill at (425) 888-4170.