Ice-out bets are paying off
Toolbox
By David Delcore TIMES ARGUS STAFF - Published: April 17, 2009
WEST DANVILLE – The ice is officially out on Lotus Lake in Williamstown, but it will take at least a few more balmy days before the same can be said of Joe's Pond in West Danville.
So says Homer Fitts, who has a front row seat from Vermont's oldest and largest "ice-out."
Despite a run of warm weather, Fitts said the pond that is his back yard is still frozen solid.
"It's still white," he said. "It will be another week anyway, maybe more."
That's just fine with Cabot resident Jane Brown, secretary of the Joe's Pond Association, who says she hasn't yet received the list of entries in this year's ice out.
"They're still counting the tickets," says Brown, who expects the association sold more than 12,000 tickets for $1 apiece again this year.
The ice out on Joe's Pond has never ended before April 15 or after May 15 since what had been an informal guessing game among locals turned into a competition that with international appeal and internet sales.
As has historically been the case, whoever comes closest to guessing when the ice goes out will win 50 percent of the proceeds from the contest less expenses. The remainder will be used to finance the Fourth of July fireworks at Joe's Pond.
Earlier this week a contest modeled after the one in West Danville ended in Williamstown, according to Becky Watson.
Watson said the ice-out, sponsored by the Williamstown Historical Society, ended at 2:59 p.m. Tuesday and Barre resident Megan Wolfe couldn't have been any closer.
"She (Wolfe) guessed it right to the minute," said Watson, who noted Wolfe will receive $312 – half of the money raised through the sale of 624 tickets.
Wolfe had other ice-out participants nipping at her heels.
Barre resident Linda Bongiolatti was only five minutes off. She guessed the ice out would end at 3:04 p.m. Tuesday, while Chelsey Allen of Berlin was within 15 minutes with her 2:44 p.m. prediction. However, Watson said, close just wasn't good enough in this year's ice out given Wolfe's pinpoint accuracy.
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