A travesty
Bary Williams
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
I HAVE BEEN an Emporia resident off and on since the early 1970s and no matter where we lived, we’ve always taken The Emporia Gazette and considered Emporia our home. I’ve never written a letter to the editor before, but there’s a first time for everything.
Please allow me to say first that this letter is about the Gazette’s Person of the Year, which The Gazette recently published, naming Dr. Duane Henrikson to this honor. I know he is in his own right richly deserving in all the ways the article described. But even allowing for that, I cannot in good conscience help but point out that even with Duane and all the other board members’ fine work — if John Mallon had never existed, the Granada Theater would be long gone by now.
I toured the building with John right after he bought it, back in 1994. I told him he was absolutely nuts to undertake what was a truly massive undertaking, that we now know took almost 15 years of his life to make a reality. I know the price he paid was far beyond the dollars. The millions of dollars of resources John poured into this project personally and through his business entities were truly a labor of love. But make no mistake, he started from absolute zero and was the driving force throughout.
Because I do know and truly admire Dr. Henrikson for what indeed was yeoman effort and vision in his own right, I pray he or no one else takes this as any indictment of him. Duane has also worked hard and long on the Granada project and indeed has done an excellent job in his own right. I would have no problem with him receiving this award — next year.
This year, by any measuring stick, it should have been John Mallon’s for his fathering the restoration process and being the architect of the project throughout. I’ve waited this long after publication hoping that my conscience could just let it go — but it can’t and I won’t.
This was a travesty and gross oversight to not include John Mallon. I’m sure he will be mad I said anything, because John never did it for the notoriety. Still, this was just plain wrong, by any rational measure.
Dr. Bary Williams
Emporia
Paccifier (anonymous) says...
You should also note John's concern & work for the WAW State Historical Site- a project that must be dear to the Gazette. Dr Henriikson deserves the honor in his own right, but perhaps John should be a contender for 2010.
August 26, 2009 at 3:33 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
wanderer (anonymous) says...
Those visiting this letter first should note that The Gazette did consider John Mallon -- and that Mallon turned the newspaper down. The details can be found at http://www.emporiagazette.com/news/20...
August 26, 2009 at 3:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
citizen (anonymous) says...
Thank Dr. Williams for recognizing John Mallon. I do not know him personally but have heard many good things about him. Another 'oversight' the people at the Granada have made is Dr. Joseph Rossillon. John Mallon hired him to create the strategic fund raising plan when he first bought the Granada. Dr. Rossillon told him what the fee would be for someone to come up with a fund raising plan and John Mallon could not afford it. Dr. Rossillon did it and charged him one dollar. Dr. Rossillon's name has never been recognized for this huge contribution to the Granada. Like John Mallon, he has a love for Emporia and wanted John to succeed.
August 26, 2009 at 4:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
any_o_mouse (anonymous) says...
This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.
September 5, 2009 at 5 p.m. ( permalink )
any_o_mouse (anonymous) says...
cant believe ya removed my comment. ITS FACT! I'm not done yet and will let everyone know I told the gazette who promptly turnrd a blind eye.
September 6, 2009 at 9:52 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )