The crop circle discovered in a wheat field here may not be the work of aliens, but it has certainly become profitable.
The Arden family, who farm the field where the circle was spotted, has taken in $4,600 selling commemorative T-shirts. They plan to give $2,400 of the proceeds to the Shriners' Children's Hospital in Chicago.The T-shirts are white and say "`We survived the Paulding County crop circle, 1996,"' said Joanna Arend. They have a picture of a crop circle with a space ship floating above with the words, "Oops, did I do that?"
Mrs. Arend said the family got the idea to have the T-shirts made when people who visited the site asked to buy souvenirs.
Her daughter, Jackie Arend, 14, had back surgery free of charge at the Shriners' Hospital last year and the family thought this would be a good way to show its gratitude.
Mrs. Arend said the family also is selling photographs taken by pilot, Sandy Dobbelaere, who originally spotted the circle, for $1 each, and splitting the proceeds with her.
The 11 Arend children plan to share their half of the photograph money in return for keeping visitors from stepping on the circle or throwing cigarettes into the fields.
Even though experts say the crop circle is a man-made hoax, several hundred people showed up again over the weekend to take a look.