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Barnard General Store

6231 Rte. 12

Barnard , United States http://barnardgeneralstore.com/

(802) 234-9688

From the soda fountain at the rear, one can look across to Silver Lake, frozen solid and strewn with ice-fishing shacks. About 20 yards out from the shoreline, a chubby effigy stuffed with straw named George is wearing a blue flannel plaid shirt and clutches an American flag. Every year for the past 30, he has sat on the ice from the time the lake freezes over until mud season. As customers stock up on sausage and flax crackers, they place a two-dollar bet against the time and date he will sink during the spring melt. The weather-wise recipient of the 50/50 pot usually walks away with a few hundered dollars. The other half is donated to local charities.