Yellow Pages
A Clear Lake family is in awe over the amount of community support they have received after vandals destroyed their three beloved mannequins.
Jamie Lanning is the owner of the three life-sized mannequins that he collected over the years. He had displayed them in his front lawn along Highway 9 until they were destroyed by vandals July 26.
Lanning said that since the mannequins were taken down after being dismembered and placed in precarious positions that July night, he has received sympathy cards and more than a dozen phone calls showing support.
“People have been calling and writing to thank us for having them up,” said Lanning.
Lanning said he even received a phone call from a lady offering to help the family to fix the mannequins so they could be displayed once again.
“But I am done with them,” he said. “I have had so much trouble with people vandalizing them in the past.”
Supporters have also brought flowers and wreaths that now adorn the metal stakes used to support the mannequins.
“We have been amazed with how the support has mushroomed,” said Barbara Rumsey, Lanning’s girlfriend.
“It started when our grandson wanted to write a letter to the editor to vent about the situation,” Rumsey said.
“And although a lot of people think it is crazy, we have gotten a lot of support,” she said.
While two of the mannequins are destroyed, one of them, named “Lucille,” will be rehabilitated enough to make the trip to the Clear Lake Historical Association, where she will be put on display.
“We are in need of a mannequin,” said Deanna Ammons, historian for the association.
“It was a sad thing, people really did enjoy seeing them,” Ammons said.
At her new home, Lucille will be used to display some fur coats and vintage dresses that Ammons recently acquired.
“I am going to dress her up one more time, make her as pretty as I can,” Rumsey said.
“She will have a nice home. We will take good care of her,” Ammons said.
