Mural of Stars

It has been difficult all of my life for me to accept compliments. I am embarrassed when someone says that they liked this or that that I did. I get tongue-tied and sort of hang my head in an "aw shucks" attitude.

My family will be surprised by this, since numerous times they have seen me in front of audiences appearing confident and in control. I have been performing in one way or another since I was three, so one would think that I would have developed a graciousness about taking a compliment -- but no, I never did.

Well, it's happened again. I have been officially notified by the Mayor's Office in Portsmouth, Ohio (where I was born) that my name would be added to the Mural of Stars -- 44 citizens of note from Scioto County, Ohio. Among those with stars are some noteworthy names -- Branch Rickey, Roy Rogers, Kathleen Battle, Al Oliver, Larry Hisle, Verne Riffe, Jr., former Speaker of the Ohio House and Ted Strickland, the current Governor of Ohio.

The Stars are on the Ohio River side of the flood wall, which is the recreational side, complete with a marina, a concert stage and picnic/camping facilities. The flood wall is a huge construction by the Army Corps of Engineers that has protected Portsmouth and environs since the 1940's, after the devastating flood of 1937.

Image courtesy of the Southern Ohio Museum, the Carl Ackerman Collection. From "On Harrisonville Avenue" by Ronald D. Giles, 2008.

This year, three stars will be added: Teresa Ruby, athlete, women's softball champion and coach of ASA and USSA Championship Teams; Candy Berry, athlete and Coach of Greenup County Cheer leading Squad that has won 12 national cheer leading championships, including touring China at that country's invitation. And, the third star, me.

On the city side of the flood wall, 66 murals were painted on the 20 foot high by 40 wide concrete panels of the flood wall by the muralist/artist Robet Dafford of New Orleans. He worked there from 1993 steadily each year until 2003. The murals depict 2000 years of history around the confluence of the Scioto and Ohio River. They are stunning and worth your time, if you are ever in the Southern Ohio area (90 miles South of Columbus).

The ceremony will be on Saturday September 5 at 3:30pm. I truly am thrilled and I congratulate Candy and Teresa.

I guess part of my low-key demeanor could be attributed to the fact that I/we will be lifted up to sign our stars -- in a bucket truck. (I have acrophobia.)