The Wall of Renown, the Forest Park version of a Hall of Fame, is about to be updated. Overdue.
The display, on the lower level of village hall, was invented by the Historical Society of Forest Park in 1984. It was last updated in 1998. Among all those who have risen up in service to Forest Park over these past 27 years, just 13 worthy names will be added to the wall ahead of a public reception on July 28.
It is best-in-class for certain. Of course, the Review is happy to see Jackie Schulz included. Our friend and the most local of local newspaper columnists over many decades, Jackie knew everyone, talked to everyone, talked up everyone in her Talk of the Town column. A real peach.
While we never knew Edith Heilemann, she is another stalwart of the Review having served as a reporter and associate editor from 1917 (our founding year) to 1941.
The balance of the list is a who’s who of current and recent luminaries. They include Tony Calderone, the former mayor; both Joe and Sandy Byrnes; Karen Dylewski from the community center; Dr. Phyllis Orland; Mark Rogovin; Michael Lee of Lee’s Austo Service; James Nadeau, famous for ice sculptures; and Pat Malone, in the news recently with McGaffer’s closing.
When you look at the full list of those included on the wall you are struck by what a small and interlaced town Forest Park has always been. A lot of Mohrs, Rooses, Reichs and Haases.
Good for the Historical Society for bringing the wall up to date and to public works for making the expansion happen.