Piecing together community fun through a giant puzzle in Oakes

OAKES, N.D. (KFYR) - With all the winter storms hitting North Dakota, finding ways to be productive indoors can be hard. Residents of Oakes are keeping busy by helping piece together a giant world map puzzle.

These are the smiling faces of some of the sixty people working together to finish a 60,000-piece puzzle. It’s been a great community bonding experience.

“It’s kind of a symbolic activity that just shows what’s possible when people come together to accomplish a goal,” said Rebecca Undem, a participant.

When it’s finished, the puzzle will be eight feet tall and twenty-nine feet wide. The project has been a good distraction from all the snow.

“It just, everything clicked, it was like it just made sense for our community to come together and do this giant puzzle of what a wonderful world it is. And it was great to work on a colorful puzzle in the, you know, dead of winter when everything was a little dreary,” said Heather Roney, owner of Sweets ‘N Stories.

Roney noticed how many puzzles her shop sold during COVID, and wanted people of all ages to join the fun.

“So, imagine, you know, you’ve done 1,000 pieces on a table and it’s just like, where do you even start? So, I mean, as long as you have the patience to do it, though it’s an all-abilities, all-ages kind of thing,” said Undem.

She thinks the puzzle project represents the best of what small towns are and gives people something to be a part of.

Residents can view it at 510 Main Avenue in Oakes when it’s scheduled to be finished at the end of the month.

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