Fran Volz carves a mermaid out of snow on the empty lot at the corner of North Church Street and John Street on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021, in Rockford. Volz, a professional sculptor, bought the property after a fire destroyed a home there in the summer of 2020. He began sculpting by making Smurf statues in his yard in his 30s. He wanted to make a snow sculpture this year after his teammates dropped out of the annual Illinois Snow Sculpting Competition to be held at Sinnissippi Park later this year.

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