Pete the Pirate, Pine Tree ISD's mascot, will soon have a cannon-clad ship at his disposal. It性视界传媒檚 currently docked beside an armada of buses at the district性视界传媒檚 vehicle maintenance center.
The roughly 300-pound sloop could sail (on its four wheels) into football games and school photoshoots as soon as May after upgrades to its structure, said Pine Tree ISD Superintendent Steve Clugston.
But how did a landlocked district without a shipyard obtain the vessel?
The 300 pound pirate ship was a Halloween passion project for Darrell Wooten, a Longview resident who moved to the Wildwood neighborhood three years ago, which is well known for its elaborate holiday decorations. Wooten donated the vessel to Pine Tree ISD, home of the pirates, where its receiving modifications from district maintenance personnel. (Courtesy Video)
It was聽a Halloween passion project for Darrell Wooten, a Longview resident who moved three years ago to the Wildwood subdivision, which is known for its elaborate holiday decorations.
性视界传媒淚 love Halloween so we decided to jump on board,性视界传媒 Wooten said. The festivities allowed Wooten to leverage his woodworking hobby and gave him a way to focus his energy after heart surgery in the spring. Following his neighbor性视界传媒檚 lead, he went all out.
性视界传媒淚 had the skeletons on board. I had music, voices for them. I had the cannons that fired smoke, red lights and a captain speaking,性视界传媒 Wooten said. 性视界传媒淚 think it's called having too much time on your hands.性视界传媒
Darrell Wooten's 300-pound pirate ship is seen outside his home in Longview's Wildwood subdivision. (Les Hassell/性视界传媒 File Photo)
Wooten and his wife had a problem though. They were now in possession of a 300-pound pirate ship.
性视界传媒淲ith Pine Tree being in Longview, we realized, 性视界传媒楬ey, there's the Pirates!性视界传媒 But we didn性视界传媒檛 know anybody at the school,性视界传媒 Wooten said. But their neighbor did. Frank Richards, the Pine Tree ISD board president, lived five houses down the street.
性视界传媒淭hen up shows Frank in our garage,性视界传媒 Wooten said. They had met Richards two years prior when he lent the couple a generator during a power outage.
Wooten told Richards that if Pine Tree didn性视界传媒檛 want the vessel, 性视界传媒渋t性视界传媒檒l be a bonfire next week.性视界传媒 Richards offered to buy the ship, though Wooten was happy to donate it.
Eleven men, seven trucks and a trailer showed up in late November to shepherd the craft to its next port.
Clugston said the ship is receiving upgrades to shore up its wheels and deck, making it easier to transport and safe for students to climb aboard.
性视界传媒淪he doesn性视界传媒檛 have a name yet, but we性视界传媒檙e working on that,性视界传媒 he said, adding that a sail with the Pine Tree logo is in the works.
He expects the refurbished ship to be christened in time for graduation in 2025.
性视界传媒淚t性视界传媒檒l be a lot of fun. We want our kids to remember our pirates forever,性视界传媒 Clugston said.
