A new Paint for a Cause

Local artists Aaron Horrell and Barb Bailey have added a new Paint for a Cause project to their list in conjunction with the Stars and Stripes Museum in Bloomfield.

Horrell is the owner of Painted Wren Art Gallery located at 620 Whitelaw Ave. in Cape Girardeau. Bailey is the assistant artist and writer. (Mercy Hospital Southeast is located across from Whitelaw Ave.)

Paint for a Cause projects by Horrell and Bailey include the Missouri Bicentennial Mural that hangs on the wall in the Truman Building in Jefferson City, the Cape Girardeau Veterans Home mural and the Bollinger Country Library mural, and several more.

The theme of the new project deals with war veterans. Anyone of any age or ability may paint as many triangles as they wish. A $2 donation is asked for each triangle to be painted. The Painted Wren artists will show each painter where to put their brush strokes. A journal will be kept with the names, ages, jobs and town of each painter and later given to the Stars and Stripes Museum when the project is finished. Painted Wren Art Gallery is open from 1 to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

One memorable veteran event I recall involved my brother Jack who was a sergeant in the U.S. Marine Corps. Jack had been home for a visit, and he was getting ready to take a train back to his military base. My mother and I decided to go part of the way with him and then return home. I was 17 years old at the time.

There were a few other young military men on board, and some of them began flirting with me. I was bashful and embarrassed, and I did not respond. Jack took care of the situation by telling the young men that he would give them a punch in their jaws if they did not leave me alone. That solved the problem in a hurry.

SUE VOGELSANGER of Cape Girardeau, a longtime contributor to The Banner Press, has strong familial ties to Bollinger County. Her columns are scheduled to run on the first Wednesday of the month.