Grinning Sasquatch wins Federal Way chainsaw carving contest

FEDERAL WAY — Tom Payne has a new and bigger Bigfoot to replace the carving that was stolen from outside his chiropractic clinic and was recovered only after the feet had been amputated.

Payne is replacing Sasquatch Sam, mounted outside his clinic for more than five years, with the top choice of spectators who watched three local chainsaw artists carve new versions at his office Saturday and Sunday.

The contest was conceived by the Pemco Insurance marketing department, partly for the company’s “A Lot Like You” advertising campaign featuring characters such as “Bumper Sticker Idealist,” “Recumbent Bike Commuter,” “Smug Hybrid Driver,” “Super-Long Coffee Orderer,” “Ponytailed Software Geek” and — in this case — “Roadside Chainsaw Woodcarver.”

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

“We thought we might get a little exposure for us and do something kind of cool for the community,” Jon Osterberg, Pemco marketing and communications manager, said Sunday. “We approached Dr. Payne about it, and he thought it would be great.”

The winning carving was made by Charlie Hubbard, 58, of Gig Harbor, whose 9-foot work was taller than the pieces made by George Kenny of Allyn and Mark Herrington of Wilkeson and featured a big grin beneath neatly parted hair.

Hubbard used to fell trees for a living and switched to chainsaw carving after a heart attack.

“You don’t get rich, but it pays the bills and it’s fun,” Hubbard said.

Payne said he might follow up the carving competition with a contest among his patients to name the new Bigfoot.

Sasquatch Sam, a chainsaw carving originally 8 feet tall and 400 pounds with red reflector eyes, a depiction of the legendary apelike creature of the Pacific Northwest, bore a slight passing resemblance to the figure on the cover of Jethro Tull’s “Aqualung” recording.

The theft of the creature on Jan. 22, 2007, and recovery two days later drew national publicity. In what police said was a vain attempt to cover up the crime, the 16-inch-long feet had been sawed off at the ankles, which are nearly 9 inches thick, shortening the carving by a foot and a half.

Police spokeswoman Stacy Flores said a man and a juvenile boy confessed to taking the carving, but the motive was unclear.

Payne said he would have nothing to do with an offer to buy Sasquatch Sam.

“That’d be like selling one of my grandsons,” he said.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Students from Explorer Middle School gather Wednesday around a makeshift memorial for Emiliano “Emi” Munoz, who died Monday, May 5, after an electric bicycle accident in south Everett. (Aspen Anderson / The Herald)
Community and classmates mourn death of 13-year-old in bicycle accident

Emiliano “Emi” Munoz died from his injuries three days after colliding with a braided cable.

Danny Burgess, left, and Sandy Weakland, right, carefully pull out benthic organisms from sediment samples on Thursday, May 1, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘Got Mud?’ Researchers monitor the health of the Puget Sound

For the next few weeks, the state’s marine monitoring team will collect sediment and organism samples across Puget Sound

Everett postal workers gather for a portrait to advertise the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive on Wednesday, May 7, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Snohomish County letter carriers prepare for food drive this Saturday

The largest single-day food drive in the country comes at an uncertain time for federal food bank funding.

Everett
Everett considers ordinance to require more apprentice labor

It would require apprentices to work 15% of the total labor hours for construction or renovation on most city projects over $1 million.

Snohomish County prosecutor Kara Van Slyck delivers closing statement during the trial of Christian Sayre at the Snohomish County Courthouse on Thursday, May 8, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Jury deliberations begin in the fourth trial of former Everett bar owner

Jury members deliberated for about 2 hours before Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Millie Judge sent them home until Monday.

Christian Sayre sits in the courtroom before the start of jury selection on Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Christian Sayre timeline

FEBRUARY 2020 A woman reports a sexual assault by Sayre. Her sexual… Continue reading

Helion's 6th fusion prototype, Trenta, on display on Tuesday, July 9, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Helion celebrates smoother path to fusion energy site approval

Helion CEO applauds legislation signed by Gov. Bob Ferguson expected to streamline site selection process.

Everett Historic Theater owner Curtis Shriner inside the theater on Tuesday, May 13, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Historic Everett Theatre sale on horizon, future uncertain

With expected new ownership, events for July and August will be canceled. The schedule for the fall and beyond is unclear.

A “SAVE WETLANDS” poster is visible under an seat during a public hearing about Critical Area Regulations Update on ordinance 24-097 on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Snohomish County Council passes controversial critical habitat ordinance

People testified for nearly two hours, with most speaking in opposition to the new Critical Areas Regulation.

An apartment building under construction in Olympia, Washington in January 2025. (Photo by Bill Lucia/Washington State Standard)
Next stop for Washington housing: More construction near transit

Noticed apartment buildings cropping up next to bus and light rail stations?… Continue reading

Jacquelyn Jimenez Romero / Washington State Standard
Lt Gov. Denny Heck presiding over the Senate floor on April 27.
Washington tries to maintain B.C. ties amid Trump era tensions

Lt. Gov. Denny Heck and others traveled to Victoria to set up an interparliamentary exchange with British Columbia, and make clear they’re not aligned with the president’s policies or rhetoric.

Marysville
Marysville talks middle housing at open house

City planning staff say they want a ‘soft landing’ to limit the impacts of new state housing laws. But they don’t expect their approach to slow development.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.