Retired Army Veteran Brings Smiles with Colored Butterfly Statues For Brain Health Awareness Month
Iron Mountain, Mich. (WZMQ) – The Marshfield Clinic Health System Dickinson in Iron Mountain has been catching attention for its display of up to 170 colored metal butterfly statues which were put up to raise awareness for Alzheimer’s disease and Brain Health Month. The man behind the butterflies, retired Army veteran Peter Monette of Kingsford, says that he built the butterflies to make people smile. Monette informed that his brother was making some crafts and that gave him the idea to make the butterflies.
“I said, well maybe I could make some butterflies, you know which would bring happiness and a smile to people, and stuff like that because of all the different colors and the designs. So that’s basically how I got started in this, and something to do in the wintertime you know besides throwing another log on the fire, and it was something I loved to do, I would get up at 2:00 in the morning and start making them,” Monette informed. Monette informed that the butterflies were staked down with repurposed table legs courtesy of the Habitat For Humanity ReStore in Kingsford.
“I’m a veteran, and I would like to give back to the veteran’s hospital here in town, its something not for the public but for those that reside there,” Monette added.
“I just want when people see these to bring a little smile to their face, a little happiness. And just be aware of people who are sick, and people who are dealing with cancer and try to lend a helping hand, and do their part,” Monette noted.
The butterfly display has been taken down from the hospital tonight, and he doesn’t have a website – but Monette plans to bring the butterflies to the Kingsford Centennial Celebration at Lodal Park August 3rd through the 5th. He’s also reaching out to the Community Living Center at the Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center and other senior living centers to keep bringing the brightly-colored butterflies to the area.
Monette’s butterfly statues have brought joy to many, and his efforts to spread happiness in the community have not gone unnoticed. His colorful creations are a testament to the power of art and creativity in bringing people together.
For more information on the Kingsford Centennial Celebration where Monette will have his butterflies displayed, visit:
kingsford100thcelebration.com
