A Liberty Township couple have a passion for the people of Slovakia and opened a store several years ago to solely sell Slovakian products to support those who live in the country.

Their passion recently has spilled over into the commissioning of a 17-foot-wide, animated woodcarving that is being created by a Master carver in Slovakia with the help of two other Slovakian carvers.

"The passion comes from God's teaching to love one another," said Dave Dayton, 65. "My wife Anne and I spent over four months there one summer and we grew to love these people."

His wife visited the country in 1992, taking an elder hostel group through Slippery Rock University. She kept going back every year because she "liked the people so much."

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