GoFundMe campaign has raised $1065 or the $4500 goal
ATASCADERO — On Monday, Aug. 16, reports came in that the giant steel “monolith” at the summit of Pine Mountain had been vandalized.
Local resident Raymond Johnson stated that he was hiking the mountain that morning and noticed that the monolith was vandalized; just a bit later, a team of guys arrived and were replacing and welding it back together again.
A “Go Fund Me” campaign to help repair the monolith was started by Melissa Kenney on Monday afternoon. In the description, Kenney explained, “I am the wife of one of the artists that built the Monolith on Pine Mountain in Atascadero, California. The reason for this GoFundMe is due to an act of vandalism for a second time. The monolith was stolen on Dec. 3, as seen here on YouTube. The artists and several of their friends rallied together and put it back up, but it was destroyed late last night on Aug. 21…”
The campaign has raised $1065 or the $4500 goal as of Wednesday, Aug. 18.
Kenney went on to explain, “The artists who built this monument did so out of the goodness of their hearts using their own hard-earned money. As most of you know, inflation of these types of materials has skyrocketed and continues to go upwards. So, with this disappointing and unfortunate chain of events, I would love to see the community rally together and help these selfless men out as they work to get the monolith back on Pine Mountain.”
Then on Tuesday, Aug. 17, Kenney gave an update “These guys worked all day and night getting Atascadero’s monolith back up on Pine Mountain for everyone in our community to enjoy!
This is the third time these men have put their time, energy, and money into bringing our town joy, love, and hope. Any help you can offer will go to make sure the monolith is well maintained and kept safe and secure.
Many thanks to those of you who have already contributed!”
The California monolith team stated that they will have parts of the second monolith to view at local breweries, restaurants, and shops; this will allow a place where people can donate for the cost of supplies and a possible camera system. The locations will be announced at a later date.
The Atascadero News reached out to the City, and they replied with the following statement:
“It’s a shame that the monolith has been vandalized once again, and we are very thankful to the local artists that have taken the time to repair it. The monolith has been enjoyed by many who have traveled to our area to see it, as well as being able to take in the beautiful hiking experience to the top of Pine Mountain. We hope that as the monolith continues to be a centerpiece on the trail, that people will respect the work that has gone into it and the story behind it and not feel the urge to tamper with it.”
As of today, the Atascadero monolith has been restored, thanks to the community and local hikers that reminded the artist what joy it brought to them each time they visit.
For more information on the California Monolith, visit the California Monolith website and Instagram account. To find the GoFundMe page visit gofundme.com and search for Atascadero Monolith.
