Once upon a time, before Kristine Lendved was ever the Director of the Forest Lodge Library, never mind retired, she and her friend, Cindy Ferraro, proprietress of the Sawmill Saloon, launched what they called The Lips Production Company. For their first production, they offered a performance of four original ten-minute plays, written and performed by local talent. Given their respective dearth of production/theatrical experience, this was, indeed, a leap of faith.
The production went off without a hitch and was well-attended and well-received. On opening night, local artist Sara Balbin, who had assisted with set decoration, asked Lendved how she was feeling. Lendved responded, “Can’t you see the light shooting out the top of my head?” 
Lendved was, at the time, self-employed as a hat-maker, specializing in headwear made from recycled materials. She and Balbin were currently engaged in a work for work trade and Lendved was expecting a small Balbin sculpture. Some few weeks after the first Lips production, Balbin presented Lendved with this sculpture, the first Leap of Faith figure she created. Lendved was thrilled and honored and 
loved the sculpture. And felt she got the best of that trade!
The Lips Production Company lasted about five seasons, evolving from ten-minute plays to a variety show format. A good time was had by all involved. But, eventually, the time needed to pull off these productions was no longer available. Kristine Lendved became the Director of the Forest Lodge Library very late in 2008 and wrapped her tenure early in 2024.
In retirement, Lendved began to think of utilizing the sculpture to both thank the Forest Lodge Library for an opportunity to serve the community and to commemorate that service. There were plans in place to re-do the front of the library, removing the existing foliage and replacing it with a perennial garden. Lendved asked the Forest Lodge Library Board of Trustees for permission to include the sculpture in the landscaping plan.
The sculpture was installed on 9/20/2024 with the expert help of Sara Balbin and Gary Crandall, her able life partner and studio assistant. It is located just in front of the window that Lendved looked out of for fifteen years as Library Director. Current Library Director Amanda Westlund also helped with the installation, and, thanks to Scott Wald who helped to relocate the presentation boulder to its current location.
Lendved hopes that the sculpture will bring joy to those who see it and that it will encourage all who are considering some creative action, whether that be writing a book or reading one, making art or trying to make the world a better place to take a Leap of Faith and proceed.
Peace!
written by Kristine Lendved
