Bring a shovel and dig for world record

When Larimer County launches construction of a new 4-H and community building on March 11, it hopes to shatter the Guinness World Record for most shovels at a groundbreaking.

The first 2,600 people to arrive for the 5:30 p.m. festivities will receive a commemorative garden hand shovel, courtesy of Water Valley. Those attending are also encouraged to bring their own shovels. The groundbreaking program gets under way at 6 p.m.

The Thomas M. McKee 4-H Youth and Community Building will cost about $4.32 million. It's going up at the county fairgrounds and events complex (The Ranch) east of Interstate 25 in Loveland, and county officials hope to have it completed by fair time in August.

According to the Guinness web site, "The largest groundbreaking ceremony occurred on Sept. 27, 2003, when 2,453 people armed with shovels dug simultaneously to break the ground for the Providence Newberg Medical Center in Newberg, Ore."

The Ranch received its single largest gift ever when the McKee Charitable Trust gave $800,000 toward the 4-H building this past December. As part of the gift, the McKee Trust also wanted the facility available to other nonprofits.

To complement the McKee funds, county commissioners approved a unique financial agreement for the 25,700-square-foot building by allowing the fairgrounds to borrow about $3 million from the solid waste fund landfill replacement reserve. One county department borrowing from another county department saves financing costs for taxpayers.

The Ranch opened in fall 2003 with its major buildings constructed, but a 4-H building had to wait for more funding.