NEWPORT — Kingdom Games Director Phil White says he will have to wait until spring to pull his truck out of Lake Memphremagog, after it went through the ice while he was out plowing the lake on Sunday.
White was working to prepare the ice for the upcoming Memphremagog Marathon Speedskating event that will take place on January 30 and 31. He had nicknamed the truck “Rolling Thunder.”
“Rolling Thunder went down, through the ice, in shallow water, 100 yards from shore,” White wrote.
He said he was able to exit the truck without any problems, and even had time to go back for his keys and his skates.
After contacting the Vermont Department of Natural Resources, he was told he will have to wait until spring to pull the truck out of the water.
“It was a warm day, early in the season, and I should have known better,” he said.
White sees Newport and Lake Memphremagog as a great venue for skating of all kinds, and created a series of winter games that include a pond hockey tournament, as well as a winter swim festival, to help promote the area through winter sports.
He says the ice on the plowed ovals remains great for skating, even if other areas of the lake can’t handle a 3/4-ton pickup with plow down.
He is also looking for help to recover his truck, issuing the following statement:
“Recovery of my truck, Rolling Thunder, will be an expensive undertaking. And yes, I am asking for help. My vision remains to establish Newport and Lake Memphremagog as a great place for lake skating and this is, without question, a huge setback. If you want to help, you can make a contribution online at the Paypal button below or send it to Kingdom Games, PO Box 310, Newport,VT 05855.”
To make a donation, CLICK HERE
I’m glad he is ok. That’ll cost him a couple hundred per day that it is in there.
[…] Man looking for financial help to get his truck out of lake Phil White uninjured after truck goes through ice, recovery postponed until spring – Newport D… […]
I don’t understand why this guy gets to pollute the lake then ask for donations? If anything, he should be paying a fine. Right? Or is this the crooked cronyism we’re to expect from Newport politics? Anybody in their right mind would know that lake wasn’t frozen to drive a truck on it. Take note, his is the ONLY TRUCK THAT FELL IN THE LAKE so far this year… Why isn’t anybody else driving on that ice to dump their truck through it in now Late January? Because we CAN ALL FEEL THE AIR OUTSIDE and we KNOW IT HAS NOT NEARLY BEEN COLD ENOUGH TO FREEZE THE LAKE WORTH DRIVING ON IT. THAT’S why nobody is driving on the lake, not because it’s “EARLY in the SEASON”… That’s a RIDICULOUS assertion. The lake would normally have been frozen more than a month ago. But we’ve all seen that each time it snowed, the snow was melted within a day or two and this snow that’s on the ground melted in the day light hours to form an ice sheet over night and then melted again that cleared the pavement, just this week. So, there’s not nearly any cause for anybody to think the ice is safe to drive on and that it was done and now there’s a tank of gasoline in our lake is an outrage. It’s not cause for donations and complimentary press coverage. It’s cause to fire the guy and to hit him with a fine. This is grossly irresponsible behavior. You don’t drive on the lake the same week the weather requires you to wear gloves. Totally outrageous.
This man goes out of his way to bring enjoyment to others. He made a mistake while trying to continue a tradition which makes people happy. He could have lost his life. And yet you sit there on your high horse faulting him.
You are a bitter person. Im sure if you did something noteworthy with your life, people might write about you too.
Do you have any idea what’s already in that Lake, his truck, “in a freezing cold Lake” will not hurt the Lake like you’d like to think. It will be out this Spring and the Lake will be fine.
He’s out money, and a vehicle, all because he was trying to bring joy to others.
You are a hate-filled person. Also you’re vulgar,”Pissed Local”
Help the man get his truck out , someday it could be you.
People are to quick to judge!! The problem is thst NO ONE knows respect anymore!! We need more people like this man who are willing to take their time to help continue traditions like this and to help bring the community together. But all we get are ignorant idiots who feel they need to run their mouths to make them selves feel better. How about you have a big heart instead of a big ego!!!
The man has no common sense… Period to drive his truck out was asking for it to go thru….
Mr White made a mistake while doing very good things for the people of this community. we can only say thank you and try to help him.
Anonymous ranting does no good. I just wonder what this ranter has hiding in his/her life.
City should pay for it, even though he should have known not to be out there.
Mr White should pay for the removal and fines just like anyone else would have too. Nobody forced him to take that truck out on the lake. I would say he suffers from a very popular disease these days”Lack of common sense”…..