NDT - The Spirit of the Sandbagger - Sept 20

FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) - In honor of it’s 100th year of service to the community the Fargo Lions Club gifted “The Spirit of the Sandbagger” monument to the City of Fargo.

The monument, located at the northeast corner of 1st Avenue North and 2nd Street, across from Fargo City Hall, will be lighted and maintained by The City. Donors helped raise $200,000 to fund the public art, which honors the perseverance, diligence and bravery of the thousands of volunteers who fought numerous Red River floods.

The public art piece was originally envisioned by Fargo Lions Club member Mike Benson. Local artist Karen Bakke designed the piece using a mixture of local men and women as models. Bakke designed the figures in the monument before handing her vision over to Brock Davis of Davis Designs for fabrication.

With permanent flood protection in Fargo less than six years from being fully realized, “The Spirit of the Sandbagger” will also serve as a reminder for future residents and visitors of the past generations who rose to the challenge time and time again.

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