An ambitious plan to build a massive statue of Amelia Earhart on the island of Saipan appears to be gaining momentum.
When the proposal for a twelve-foot-tall statue of the famed aviatrix, believed by some to have crash landed on the island, was first announced in September, it was met with considerable skepticism.
However an update from the group behind the plan indicates that not only are they moving ahead with the concept, it's actually becoming even bigger.
At a meeting of the Saipan Rotary Club this week, the Amelia Earhart Memorial Committee revealed that they now hope to construct a statue of the lost pilot that will stand an astounding 18 feet tall!
The president of the group explained that this enhancement of the monument came at the behest of the Marianas Visitors Authority who "wanted us to make the statue bigger."
With that kind of endorsement behind the project, it seems that there is some considerable clout behind actually building the giant statue.
That said, the issue of paying for the project remains a problem for the group, since they estimate that it will cost approximately $200,000 dollars.
As such, they have begun soliciting funds from local groups, such as the Rotary Club, and hope to receive some kind of government assistance in covering a percentage of the cost.
Whether they will receive any taxpayer money for the project remains to be seen, however, since a number of island residents argue that providing funding for an 18-foot-tall statue is a terrible waste.
Regardless of how that political drama plays out, the group of Earhart aficionados have expressed hope that the project can somehow be completed this year.
We'll keep our fingers crossed that their aspirations can be achieved, since the prospect of a giant statue of Amelia Earhart towering over the island does sound pretty awesome.
Source: Saipan Tribune