Fame on a wall

Thomas Melvin, the Chicago artist, who -- with a good many helpers -- made the Mississippi River Tales murals on Cape Girardeau's downtown floodwall such a smash hit, has signed on to redo the Wall of Fame murals farther south on the floodwall. The Wall of Fame includes portraits of the famous and notorious who have Missouri ties.

When donations were solicited for the Mississippi River Tales murals, donors were told some of the money would be set aside for the Wall of Fame murals. But about half of the estimated cost of the project -- more than $40,000 in all -- still needs to be raised.

The Wall of Fame project is more than repainting the existing portraits. Each of the famous Missourians who merit space on the wall will be redone in Melvin's striking style. Taken together with the Mississippi River Tales murals, the floodwall will have the artist's thumbprint from one end to the other.

The Cape Girardeau River Heritage Mural Association, under the leadership of president Tim Blattner, would like to get the Wall of Fame project going by the time summer officially starts. To do that, however, more donations are needed. Contributors can sponsor all or part of the mural panels, and there is a variety of options for helping this project.

If you want to help, call Blattner at 334-3288, or Freck Shivelbine at 335-8862. Your participation in this project will be appreciated.