Charleston Strong

Charleston Strong, Rutledge Ave., Charleston, SC  

Heading to a spot for my morning walk I was trying to dodge special event crowds. I headed up the peninsula to avoid the March of Dimes walk and I ended up in the lap of the Boat Show at Brittlebank Park. Ooops!

I've often driven past the Charleston Strong mural but this is the first time I walked along that stretch of flying doves painted after the shooting at the Emmanuel AME church last year.

To prepare for the Charleston Strong mural, the twelve foot high, 293 foot long wall lining the college’s former baseball field along Rutledge Ave., was repaired and given a double basecoat of paint. The first elements of the mural were painted by cadets who attend fine arts classes at the college, to enable members of the community to paint their doves around it.“The Nine Doves image is over ten feet tall and dark Citadel blue with the words "Charleston Strong" painted next to it in red,” said Tiffany Silverman, director of The Citadel Fine Arts Program. Silverman created the mural concept, then engaged the college’s Krause Center for Leadership and Ethics to help move it forward.  “Doves are not only a sign of peace but also a symbol of hope. We hope that the mural will be a powerful, visual reminder that the spirit of Charleston Strong will continue no matter what challenges lie ahead,” Silverman said.  See more at: http://www.citadel.edu/root/charleston-strong-mural#sthash.hD7drmtX.dpuf

I went to the Lowcountry Voices concert this evening and then out to dinner with my son at Lola's the recently opened Cajun restaurant in North Charleston. The weather was perfect to sit outside and enjoy a late dinner. So far so good on my weekend! Hope yours is going well.