Lucy Banner Flies High At City Hall

From The Post Journal, Jamestown, NY - by Jason Rodriguez

Journey Gunderson, executive director of the Lucy-Desi Center for Comedy, stands with Council President Greg Rabb and Mayor Sam Teresi at the ceremony to raise the Lucy Fest flag over City Hall.

Some local ambassadors of Lucy Nation raised her banner over the streets of Jamestown on Thursday.
With this gesture, the summer festival to honor the centennial of Lucille Ball gets started.
"The raising of the flag over City Hall demonstrates how committed the city, mayor and the Lucy-Desi Center for Comedy are to making this celebration of worthy magnitude for Lucille Ball's 100th birthday," said Journey Gunderson, executive director of the museum.

She said the entire local community is "full steam ahead and all hands on deck" in anticipation of the upcoming summer schedule.

Mrs. Gunderson said the Lucille Ball Hometown Wedding takes place July 30 in the museum's Tropicana Room. The first week in August is Lucy Fest, and tickets are selling fast for the headlining comedy acts.

She added that Lucy herself would be thrilled to see the widespread buzz in her hometown.
Said Mrs. Gunderson: "Lucie Arnaz told me that in one of her final conversations with her mother before she passed away, Lucy was so excited at the prospect of returning to Jamestown."

While her keynote address at Jamestown Community College was not to be, each year her presence lives on in those that congregate to Jamestown in honor of her birthday. And with talent recruited from Hollywood and comedy circuits around the country, her centennial celebration in 2011 promises to memorable.

Museum Board Member Bill Stevenson said he approached the city with the idea to fly the Lucy flag from City Hall. The city was eager to accommodate the request, said executive assistant Matt Hanley, because the city traditionally raises a national flag that corresponds whenever its Swedish, Italian or other cultural festival is held.

The flag features the centennial icon created by Gary Peters Jr. which is visible on two dozen other flags and about 45 streets banners already displayed throughout the city.