It was a special day at The Big Apple in Colborne on Thursday, August 27, 2020.
Since a seven-metre square mask was put on “Mr. Apple” which is a 12-metre apple at the business located just off Highway 401 in Colborne, there have been even more visitors stopping by to browse the facility which includes a petting zoo, restaurant, gift shop and miniature golf course. It’s an extremely popular destination where you can even watch the pies being made.
But a woman from Belleville took it a step further with her love for the mask.
Twenty-eight-year-old Ali Nardo actually got a tattoo of Mr. Apple wearing a mask put on her right thigh.
“It makes me happy. That’s my “why.”
“I saw it (the mask) and thought it was a great sign of the times.”
Even hopefully when COVID-19 is gone, “I will still have this with me.”
Nardo brought her daughter Ava who is just over one-year-old who is getting used to the apple on mom’s leg.
The story of the mask on Mr. Apple went viral on July 24 and when Nardo saw it with friends, she came up the idea for the tattoo.
“I don’t think they took me seriously, but I had another friend and he thought it was a great idea.”
The full-colour tattoo looks exactly like the apple complete with mask.
Nardo said she can always remember Mr. Apple when driving through the area and has fond memories of stopping by on her travels.
“Hopefully COVID won’t be around forever and they’ll probably take the mask off at some point, but I will have that memory with me forever.”
When The Big Apple heard about Nardo, “we couldn’t believe it,” said General Manager Sylvia Nagy.
Putting the mask on was to support front-line workers and to hopefully give people a smile as they drive by on the highway or come to the establishment.
“The only thing we can do is wear a mask and social distance so we thought why not add the mask.”
Nagy said with Nardo’s idea for the tattoo, The Big Apple rewarded her was pie’s for a year.
The business also created temporary tattoos and have started a contest for people that runs past the long weekend.
Nagy invites visitors to video themselves in front of Mr. Apple and post it on social media including Facebook, Instagram or TikTok.
A winner from each social media sector will be awarded a gift basket from The Big Apple.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
