Tiny Dancer artistic light in Stevens Point. MWC photo by Mike Leischner
STEVENS POINT, WI (WSAU) — The latest artistic light along the Wisconsin River in Stevens Point is much more than a fun piece of public art.
Mayor Mike Wiza and other local leaders gathered to dedicate “Tiny Dancer” on Tuesday, a piece dedicated to the memory of 20-year-old Hannah Goman, who was killed in a crash with a drunk driver.
“It’s [a peaceful resemblance of a dancer,] and that’s who Hannah was,” said Hannah’s mother, Michelle Strasser-Goman. “She was a peaceful person who loved to dance and had a giving spirit.”
Mayor Mike Wiza agreed. “This is a permanent testament to the impact Hannah had on all of us. She lived dancing and I hope [this light] does that justice.”
Plans for the light have been in the works for nearly three years. It was designed by Mackenzie Biadasz, who has done many of the artistic lights that grace the riverwalk. But this one held a special meaning because she was on a dance team with Hannah.
“I wasn’t on it very long. I was the weird, quiet art kid that didn’t fit in. But, she always made an effort to make me feel included, a part of the team. So, I wanted to create something that really captured her spirit,” said Biadasz.
Strasser-Goman hopes that the light will keep her daughter’s memory alive, so others will hear her story and be encouraged to think twice before driving drunk.
“Drunk Driving causes people like Hannah to lose their lives through no fault of their own,” she added.
“Tiny Dancer” joins a handful of other personified lights along the Wisconsin River in Pfiffner Pioneer Park. Themes of those lights include fishing, bird watching, and music. Wiza says at least one more will be installed later this year, featuring a person raising a glass for a toast.
The artistic light program is made possible through private donations, including fundraisers and donated materials and labor from local machinists. No taxpayer dollars are used to create the lights, though the city’s public works staff transports and installs the finished product. Wiza says anyone with ideas for a future light should contact his office.
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