814-Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, February 26, 1994
shmu.
The David Svonavec family stands in the snow with Floppy, left and Wrinkles, the
revived twin lambs that froze after their birth on a frigid January 15 morning. From left,
Heidi, Gabe and Luke. Standing are Dave and Betty Lou Svonavec from Rockwood.
Frozen Twin
Survive Frigid
GAY N. BROWNLEE
Somerset Co. Correspondent
ROCKWOOD (Somerset Co.)
David Svonavec, following his
usual morning ritual rose at 4 p.m.
on Saturday, January 15. Outside,
an arctic winter storm, dubbed the
“Siberian Express” by weather
forecasters, was gripping the east
ern United States. It had sent the
mercury plummeting to minus 22
degrees and lower. Fierce winds
lowered the chill factor to life
threatening levels.
The coal-industry businessman
thought about his kids’ animals in
the bam and wondered if they were
okay. They were potential county
fair 4-H projects market swint,
steers and lambs. One pregnant
ewe was nearing her due date.
So while Betty Lou, his wife,
and their kids Heidi, 13; Luke,
12; and Gabe, 8, slept peaceful
ly upstairs, Svonavec, listening to
his conscience, donned heavy
coveralls, then went to the bam. He
needed the assurance that the ani
mals were well.
“1 saw one (newborn) lamb,”
said Svonavec, “and I looked, and
then 1 saw the other one. They were
frozen.”
But they wereahve. Apparently,
the bigger lamb was delivered
first, noted Svonavec, recalling ns
extremely poor condition with its
under skin layered with ice. The
smaller lamb, bom later, was also
icy.
Quickly, he removed his cover
alls. Into each leg section he gently
placed a stiff lamb. Gathering the
bundle in his arms, he sped toward
the house basement, not consider
ing, as he ran, his own exposure to
the frigid elements.
He needed assistance. Rousing
Betty Lou, the two then laid the
bedraggled, ovine twins on rug
covered, low-temperature healing
pads. Carefully, they used hair
blow dryers to penetrate more heal
through the icy skin of the lambs.
Too much heat at the outset, they
knew, was also dangerous.
Svonavec gently rubbed them to
increase circulation.
“I came down and looked at
them and said to myself, ‘Why
does the man bother?’” said Belly
Lou. “1 thought it was too late.”
■ I
“I’ve seen a lot of lambs that
were a lot healthier that didn’t
make it,” she added. She said the
ear of the largest lamb was covered
with ice at least a quarter of an inch
thick and it was awkwardly bent.
Hopeless as it seemed, the two
continued their relentless life
saving effort. Finally, little gasps
were heard with long seconds
between them, according to Betty
Lou.
But every lime, Svonavec and
his wife stopped applying heat, the
coal immediately resurfaced to the
lambs’ outer skin. The two worked
for hours, unable to stop as long as
there was life.
After three hours the lambs
appeared better. They needed their
mother. “As soon as they were
warmed up, 1 got the ewe,” said
Svonavec.
Art & Craft
Directory
Available
LANCASTER (Lancaster Co.)
The 1994 An and Craft Show
Directory for Lancaster County
and Surrounding Areas is now
available. Published by the Mar
ket House Craft Center, the direc
tory provides information for an
and craft shows in the area. It is in
tended for people who are inter
ested in exhibiting in the shows as
well as for patrons who like to at
tend them. The booklet includes
an index of shows by towns,
which facilitates locating a speci
fic show when the date is un
known. Each event is described,
with date, title, location, hours,
special attributes, the number of
exhibitors, the expected attend
ance, and the admission charge.
Also given is information for po
tential exhibitors such as the fees,
the requirements and deadlines for
applications and the contact per
son.
There is a $5 charge which cov
ers postage, tax and printing costs.
Directories may be ordered by
sending a check or mijney order
to: 1994 Show Directory, Market
House Craft Center, P.O. Box
552, Lancaster, PA 17608.
Lambs
Weather
However, the 1992 Grand
Champion of the Somerset Co.
Lamb Jackpot Show (showed by
Luke), was completely disoriented
in the unfamiliar surroundings,
making it initially impossible for
the lambs to be naturally nourished
by her.
The kids, who discovered, not
only that twin lambs were bom but
also were in the house, were ecsta
tic. Their mission was to milk the
ewe, then bottle-feed the lambs.
They named the bigger lamb
“Wrinkles,” and the other,
“Floppy.”
Tuesday finally arrived with
temperatures moderating suffi
ciently to warrant the trio’s return
to the bam not a moment too
soon for Betty Lou. The atmo
sphere in her gracious house was
evincing unwelcome odors from
below.
From storage, Luke’s baby
sweaters and vests, worn also by
Gabe, were cut down the front and
stripped over the lambs for added
warmth.
A family friend, hearing of
Saturday’s events, told the tale to a
Johnstown television personality.
The story went through western
and central Pennsylvania TV news
like wildfire and was picked up by
the Associated Press.
Coining when winter’s weather
had paralyzed millions in the coun
try and the major earthquake had
shaken California, television
watching was the “In” activity.
Viewers had a viewing diet of low
ering news that sunk emotional
spirits.
So when the story of S vonavec’s
lamb rescue was aired over CNN
and reportedly mentioned by Paul
Harvey, the Svonavec’s were
astonished.
Folks responded from around
the nation. The story had boosted
their morale they told the Svo
navecs, and helped to alleivate
mild feelings of depression.
“I just had a feeling in my hands
when I was rubbing them,” said
Svonavec, “that mine were the
hands, but the power in them came
from a higher source. 1 think there
was divine intervention,” he said,
“because they (the lambs)
shouldn’t have lived.”
See your nearest
Dealer for Dependable
Equipment and
Dependable Service!
PENNSYLVANIA
Annvlllr pa
BHM Farm
Equipment, Inc.
RDI, Rle. 934
717-867-2211
Carlisle. PA
R&W Equipment Co.
35 East Willow Street
717-243-2686
Davldaburo. PA
George N. Gross, Inc.
R.D. 2, Dover, PA
717-292-1673
Elizabethtown. PA
Messick Farm
Equipment, Inc.
Rt. 283 • Rheem's Exit
717-367-1319
Halifax, pa
Sweigard Bios.
R.D. 3, Box 13
717-896-3414
Honev Brook. PA
Dependable Motor Go.
East Main Street
215-273-3131
215-273-3737
Honev Grove. PA
Norman D. Clark
& Son, Inc.
Honey Grove, PA
717-734-3682
Loysville, PA
717-789-3117
MARYI
Frederick. HD
Ceresville
Ford New Holland, Inc.
Rt. 26 East
301-662-4197
Outside MD,
800-331-9122
NEW JERSEY
Bridgeton. NJ
Leslie G. Fogg, Inc.
Canton & Stow Creek
Landing Rd.
609-451-2727
609-935-5145
Woods town. NJ
Owen Supply Co.
Broad Street &
East Avenue
609-769-0308
Huahetvllle. PA
Farnsworth Farm
Supplies, Inc.
103 Cemetery Street
717-584-2106
New Holland. PA
A.B.C. Groff, Inc.
110 South Railroad
717-354-4191
Qlev. PA
C.J. Wonsidler Bros.
R.D. 2
215-987-6257
Pitman. PA
Schreffler Equipment
Pitman, PA
717-648-1120
Quakertown. Pi
C.J. Wonsidler Bros.
R.D. 1
215-536-1935
Tamaaua. PA
Charles S. Snyder, Inc.
R.D. 3
717-386-5945
West Grove. PA
S.G. Lewis & Son, Inc.
R.D. 2, Box 66
215-869-2214
AND
Washington. NJ
Smith Tractor &
Equip., Inc.
15 Hillcrest Ave.
201-689-7900