MASSAPEQUA PARK, NY — We’ve been hard-pressed to see snow over the past few years, so when a storm hits Long Island, Mike Fregoe makes sure to keep it around as long as possible.
The Massapequa Park homeowner made a snowman a decade ago, and each year, as weather permits, he creates a new one.
Fregoe got the community involved with the “Save Our Snowman” Facebook page, where people can see the status of their winter favorite.
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For example, on Feb. 23, Fregoe posted a photo of a melting snowman, but he was “hanging in there.”
“It’s about six feet,” Fregoe told Patch recently of his snowman’s height. “I got one up to almost 20 feet at one point.”
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Of course, the snowman has a better chance of filling out with major storms hitting us in any given season, something that’s been lacking for a couple of years.
The idea for his snowman took shape during a blizzard when he thought “Imagine if I could ask people to donate snow and keep it going,” Fregoe said. “I was thinking about the kids, how much they would love it.”
Fregoe’s daughter was nine years old when the snowman debuted. Asked if he gives it a name, it’s just “snowman,” thank you.
People of all ages stop by for selfies with the snowman, with him “surviving” at times into the spring.
To have a snowman, you need more than snow on the ground.
“It’s got a scarf. His carrot nose, which is actually just orange electrical tape around a stick,” he said. “[There are] two big button eyes and a homemade hat, which I made out of oak tag.”
You can watch the full interview below with Fregoe, and see the snowman, on the Patch Weekly Spotlight.
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