Post by rainman on Jul 5, 2008 7:47:12 GMT -5
‘I think it’s fabulous’
By Mallory Panuska
Times West Virginian
FAIRMONT July 05, 2008 02:20 am
— Complete with rainy weather and a strong community spirit, it was like the summer of 1984 all over again here Friday.
Twenty-four years ago, hometown Olympic gold medalist Mary Lou Retton was welcomed home after winning the all-around title in women’s gymnastics at the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles.
There was a parade in her honor, in which thousands of people lined up to commemorate the gold medalist and her world-renowned accomplishment.
Retton was the first American to ever win the Olympic all-around title, which she accomplished in 1984 by just 0.05 of a point, with perfect 10s in her floor exercise and vault routines bumping her score up to win the gold.
And Friday, Main Street Fairmont hosted the city’s annual Fourth of July celebration with a “Welcome Home, Mary Lou Retton” theme to re-enact that memorable homecoming nearly a quarter of a century ago.
“I think it’s fabulous. I’m humbled; I’m excited; I’m overwhelmed,” Retton said of the celebration on Friday evening as she flashed her signature smile and signed autographs from underneath a tent at Palatine Park after the parade. “This city supported me even before I was anybody, and they are still supporting me 24 years later.”
“I just want to say thank you,” she added, addressing everyone in West Virginia who supported her and cheered for her and welcomed her home as well as all of her family and friends who still live in Fairmont today.
As in 1984, Retton rode atop a fire truck in the parade Friday as she waved to the adoring fans who braved the rain to come out and see her. City officials wanted to recreate the celebration years ago with the truck and pulled it off successfully.
Retton currently lives in Texas, but her husband, Shannon Kelley, recently presented her a house in Fairmont, her hometown. He and her four daughters joined her at Friday’s event and rode with her in the parade.
And now that she has a place to go with her new “secret” retreat home, Retton said she will be coming back much more often and that she hopes to eventually move back for good.
Retton said that coming to Fairmont is always a positive experience because it allows her to get away from her “crazy” life in Texas. She said people are always coming up to her and asking for her autograph or pictures, but in Fairmont the atmosphere is much more relaxed. While she knows her fans in the Mountain State love her, they simply greet her with a friendly wave or hello, which she said is nice.
“It’s just a warm embrace,” she said.
Main Street executive director Vera Sansalone said, minus the rain that poured down for most of the day, everything else Friday ran smoothly and on schedule. Fortunately, the rain actually stopped falling just before the parade began at 5 p.m., and the skies stayed dry for a while afterward while Retton signed autographs and visited with fans at Palatine Park.
“It’s going great despite all the rain we had. Something went right when we got a little bit of a clearing for the parade,” Sansalone said Friday evening. “I’m glad to see we had so many people come out.”
The park opened at 3:30 p.m., and soon after the JR Farley Band began playing. Then after the parade, Carolina Rain played followed by Trick Pony’s Heidi Newfield. Then at about 10 p.m., a tribute video documenting that day nearly 24 years ago when Retton stuck her last vault and scored a perfect 10 to bring home the gold was shown to a crowd of about 5,000 people in the park.
Following that, Retton was officially welcomed on stage where she introduced her family and then talked animatedly about the “most amazing experience of her life” and how it feels every time she watches it on video, especially from a big screen as it was Friday.
“I have so many emotions tonight. I can’t believe that has been 24 years ago,” she said. “People always ask me if I ever get tired of watching that video, and my honest answer is no.”
She said that moment in her life made her realize that she could truly do anything she set her mind to. She said everyone was telling her that it was not supposed to happen, that a girl from Fairmont, W.Va., could not win the gold, and it was then that she made it her mission to prove that was not true.
And although her permanent home is in Texas, Retton said she will always remember her roots and stay true to Fairmont.
“I may live in Texas, but I am a true, blue Mountaineer,” she said. “I’m excited and so proud to be from West Virginia.”
Retton was also presented with several gifts Friday from the City of Fairmont, the Marion County Commission, local artist Dave Merrill, the Children’s Miracle Network, and Main Street.
West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin was also supposed to attend the event but could not make it, so his chief of staff, Larry Puccio, presented Retton with the state’s Living Legend Award. He said Retton is only the third person to ever receive the award, which is given to West Virginia residents who have made a significant positive impact.
Friday’s event sponsors included Main Street, the City of Fairmont, the Marion County Commission, Chesapeake Energy and Time Warner Cable, among others. The Times West Virginian was also the sponsor for the parade, and the West Virginia High Tech Consortium sponsored the fireworks show.
For Fairmont resident Judy Foster, it was good to see so many local sponsors come together to host the event and support Retton.
“I think it’s fantastic,” she said. “That so many (sponsors) could come together to help bring our hometown girl back.”
Fairmont resident Terri Washenitz, who was hanging out in the VIP tent during Carolina Rain’s performance, said she also thought it was nice to see the community come together and welcome Retton home.
“It’s been such a long time. It’s nice to see Mary Lou being honored for what she did,” Washenitz said. “It’s great to see the parade and the bands.”
By Mallory Panuska
Times West Virginian
FAIRMONT July 05, 2008 02:20 am
— Complete with rainy weather and a strong community spirit, it was like the summer of 1984 all over again here Friday.
Twenty-four years ago, hometown Olympic gold medalist Mary Lou Retton was welcomed home after winning the all-around title in women’s gymnastics at the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles.
There was a parade in her honor, in which thousands of people lined up to commemorate the gold medalist and her world-renowned accomplishment.
Retton was the first American to ever win the Olympic all-around title, which she accomplished in 1984 by just 0.05 of a point, with perfect 10s in her floor exercise and vault routines bumping her score up to win the gold.
And Friday, Main Street Fairmont hosted the city’s annual Fourth of July celebration with a “Welcome Home, Mary Lou Retton” theme to re-enact that memorable homecoming nearly a quarter of a century ago.
“I think it’s fabulous. I’m humbled; I’m excited; I’m overwhelmed,” Retton said of the celebration on Friday evening as she flashed her signature smile and signed autographs from underneath a tent at Palatine Park after the parade. “This city supported me even before I was anybody, and they are still supporting me 24 years later.”
“I just want to say thank you,” she added, addressing everyone in West Virginia who supported her and cheered for her and welcomed her home as well as all of her family and friends who still live in Fairmont today.
As in 1984, Retton rode atop a fire truck in the parade Friday as she waved to the adoring fans who braved the rain to come out and see her. City officials wanted to recreate the celebration years ago with the truck and pulled it off successfully.
Retton currently lives in Texas, but her husband, Shannon Kelley, recently presented her a house in Fairmont, her hometown. He and her four daughters joined her at Friday’s event and rode with her in the parade.
And now that she has a place to go with her new “secret” retreat home, Retton said she will be coming back much more often and that she hopes to eventually move back for good.
Retton said that coming to Fairmont is always a positive experience because it allows her to get away from her “crazy” life in Texas. She said people are always coming up to her and asking for her autograph or pictures, but in Fairmont the atmosphere is much more relaxed. While she knows her fans in the Mountain State love her, they simply greet her with a friendly wave or hello, which she said is nice.
“It’s just a warm embrace,” she said.
Main Street executive director Vera Sansalone said, minus the rain that poured down for most of the day, everything else Friday ran smoothly and on schedule. Fortunately, the rain actually stopped falling just before the parade began at 5 p.m., and the skies stayed dry for a while afterward while Retton signed autographs and visited with fans at Palatine Park.
“It’s going great despite all the rain we had. Something went right when we got a little bit of a clearing for the parade,” Sansalone said Friday evening. “I’m glad to see we had so many people come out.”
The park opened at 3:30 p.m., and soon after the JR Farley Band began playing. Then after the parade, Carolina Rain played followed by Trick Pony’s Heidi Newfield. Then at about 10 p.m., a tribute video documenting that day nearly 24 years ago when Retton stuck her last vault and scored a perfect 10 to bring home the gold was shown to a crowd of about 5,000 people in the park.
Following that, Retton was officially welcomed on stage where she introduced her family and then talked animatedly about the “most amazing experience of her life” and how it feels every time she watches it on video, especially from a big screen as it was Friday.
“I have so many emotions tonight. I can’t believe that has been 24 years ago,” she said. “People always ask me if I ever get tired of watching that video, and my honest answer is no.”
She said that moment in her life made her realize that she could truly do anything she set her mind to. She said everyone was telling her that it was not supposed to happen, that a girl from Fairmont, W.Va., could not win the gold, and it was then that she made it her mission to prove that was not true.
And although her permanent home is in Texas, Retton said she will always remember her roots and stay true to Fairmont.
“I may live in Texas, but I am a true, blue Mountaineer,” she said. “I’m excited and so proud to be from West Virginia.”
Retton was also presented with several gifts Friday from the City of Fairmont, the Marion County Commission, local artist Dave Merrill, the Children’s Miracle Network, and Main Street.
West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin was also supposed to attend the event but could not make it, so his chief of staff, Larry Puccio, presented Retton with the state’s Living Legend Award. He said Retton is only the third person to ever receive the award, which is given to West Virginia residents who have made a significant positive impact.
Friday’s event sponsors included Main Street, the City of Fairmont, the Marion County Commission, Chesapeake Energy and Time Warner Cable, among others. The Times West Virginian was also the sponsor for the parade, and the West Virginia High Tech Consortium sponsored the fireworks show.
For Fairmont resident Judy Foster, it was good to see so many local sponsors come together to host the event and support Retton.
“I think it’s fantastic,” she said. “That so many (sponsors) could come together to help bring our hometown girl back.”
Fairmont resident Terri Washenitz, who was hanging out in the VIP tent during Carolina Rain’s performance, said she also thought it was nice to see the community come together and welcome Retton home.
“It’s been such a long time. It’s nice to see Mary Lou being honored for what she did,” Washenitz said. “It’s great to see the parade and the bands.”
