Memorable: Renovo unveils Flyboy Mural along 7th Street
KEVIN RAUCH/FOR THE EXPRESS The Greater Renovo Area Heritage Park and artist Robert “Haney” Calhoun unveiled the highly anticipated mural dedicated to western Clinton County’s WWII era Flyboys Sunday afternoon along 7th Street in Renovo.
KEVIN RAUCH/FOR THE EXPRESS Christine Clark, left, widow of Flyboy Richard J. Clark was in attendance at Sunday’s ceremony.
KEVIN RAUCH/FOR THE EXPRESS The Greater Renovo Area Heritage Park and artist Robert “Haney” Calhoun unveiled the highly anticipated mural dedicated to western Clinton County’s WWII era Flyboys Sunday afternoon along 7th Street in Renovo.
KEVIN RAUCH/FOR THE EXPRESS Christine Clark, left, widow of Flyboy Richard J. Clark was in attendance at Sunday’s ceremony.
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RENOVO -- It's hard to imagine many small towns honored Memorial Day with more patriotism, honor and pride than Renovo over the weekend. 7th street was blocked off to witness the unveiling of a new mural dedicated to the area's Flyboys from the WWII era.
The Greater Renovo Area Heritage Park held the ceremony as they unveiled the mural that they worked with local artist and veteran Robert "Haney" Calhoun to make a reality.
Emcee Mary George Rhone said that, in a perfect world, the mural would have been completed three years ago, but you'd be hard pressed to have had a more perfect scenario than Sunday's presentation.
Coinciding with the mural was Patricia "Trish" Wilson's project, where she identified and wrote biographies on the 39 known Renovo Flyboys from the 1940s. Those stories, that will likely bring tears to readers' eyes, can be found on the Heritage Park website.
Over 100 people attended the event where descendants of those honored were certainly in the crowd.
One such guest, Christine Clark, is the widow of Richard J. Clark who is part of the inspiration for the mural and the subject of Wilson's work.
The event took place under the backdrop of the Bucktail Detachment #856 Marine Corps League color guard.
Rhone welcomed everyone and recalled talking to John Curcio, one of Renovo's best known Flyboys, about the project. The emcee spoke of the admiration that she had for the young men that served in WWII.
Wilson, too, echoed the fondness for the accounts of bravery that she uncovered, offering that she had shed tears for people whom she had never met.
Calhoun's remarks were simply a few sentences, but the artist, whose work can be seen throughout the Renovo area, called the Flyboys mural the most difficult and intricate one that he has ever taken on.
Calhoun thanked all that made donations, pointing out that monetary ones from the community were the sole source to turn his sketches into a mural.
Following the unveiling, the mural could be seen containing 19 of Calhoun's sketches brought to life. A map, explaining what each of the 19 drawings were, was passed out to the audience and can be picked up at Heritage Park Headquarters. The pamphlet also explains that the mural contains a QR code that can be scanned for more information on the 39 (and likely growing) list of Renovo Flyboys.
The 45 minute ceremony also featured: Renovo Legion Post 442; Kedda Bissman singing the National Anthem; Martha Sykes offering the Invocation and benediction; Erica Dorman and Brandon Kahley performing a song, as well as Kahley's playing of TAPS; Tracy Shady, guest speaker; Rich Wykoff, guest speaker; Autumn Gavlock who performed a song.
The mural unveiling was the largest single gathering of people that the Renovo area has seen in many years, and judging by the smiles and handshakes that followed, was one that will be remembered for quite some time.