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<< Previous   of   Next >> Kevin Nortz / The Herald  (click to enlarge) Ashlee Hagstrom, 13 (left), and Jill Morris, 13, hurry to transform their friend Kylie Walsh, 13, into a mermaid before the judges made their rounds during the annual sand-sculpting contest at Edmonds Marina Beach on Thursday.   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Friday, August 1, 2008 Creations rise from the sand in Edmonds By Katya Yefimova Herald Writer EDMONDS -- Eight-year-old Joe Flinn carefully leaned over Thursday to put the finishing touches on his sand castle at Marina Beach. Purple and green soldiers in the turrets. Bailey Gootee, 7, added sea shells on the castle's main tower. They were part of a team called Kings and Queens that was competing to win a "gold" bucket in this free annual event the Edmonds Parks and Recreation Department organizes for families. Their team included Joe's sister, Roni Flinn, and Bailey's sister, Kelly Gootee, 9, and a friend, Maggie Langsted, 6. Their sculpture was just one of this year's 65 entries -- creations with a fair number of moats and drawbridges but also a few surprises here and there. "This event provides an opportunity for a family to work as a team and just spend time together. There is no technology there; it's just the sand, the sky and the water," said Tammy Rankins, recreation coordinator for the Edmonds Parks and Recreation Department. The event gave awards in different categories: families, children 13 and under and children 14 and up. Rankins said the teenage group always has only a handful of contestants. "I guess that age group has a lot more going on," she said. Rankins said this year's event drew a bigger-than-usual crowd of about 200 participants and another 100 people just watching. A lot of them are families returning from year to year, Rankins said. The Varga family of Edmonds has participated in the contest for the past several years and won twice. Ute Varga with sons Robert, 8, and Ian, 10, said they will be coming back next year. "We are waiting for it every year, rain or shine," Ute Varga said. "We mark it on our calendar." This year, the Vargas' sculpture was called "Heron Having Lunch." The heron was several feet tall with slender legs made of two even rows of stones holding a fish in its beak. Feathers of straw and seaweed decorated the bird's wings and head. Aside from materials found on the beach, the family brought a spade and some other tools. "If you want to make something big, you have to be prepared," Ute Varga said. The heron sculpture was presented in the favorite creature category. Kristin House, an employee with Nama's Candy Store, the event's main sponsor, was one of the judges -- something she said was not an easy task. "It was so hard because there were things you might think would win but there are things that just draw you to them," House said. "It was so great to see everybody out here. I would love to come back and do this again." Reporter Katya Yefimova: 425-339-3452 or kyefimova@heraldnet.com.

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