The windsock at Workman Field had survived years of brutal seasons. Over the decades, howling winter winds and blistering summer sun had slowly baked its bright orange fabric into sad, faded ribbons. It had whipped utility in the breeze for so long that it was finally, completely done.

That was when the neighborhood stepped in.

On Saturday morning, a crew of local hands finally assembled at the edge of the runway to tackle the long-overdue project. Lee Cundiff rolled up first, donating the use of his heavy-duty tractor. Its engine rumbled to life as he positioned it near the base of the structure.

As the pictures below illustrate, this was no trivial undertaking. Bruce Harding and Brian Hickman yanked out a thick set of industrial chains. Working fast, they wrapped the heavy links securely around the middle of the pole, anchoring the other end tightly to Lee’s tractor. Dwight Smith stood back as the ground guide, mapping the trajectory of the descent so nothing got crushed.

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