They came, we sang, we wait

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More than 150 city residents banded in front of Miss Olivia’s Bed and Breakfast on South Denton Street Tuesday morning and sang “Deep in the Heart of Texas” for Sandi McKenna and Rick Griffin, the “review team” representatives of “Best of the Road,” a national competition among several American cities. Gainesville is currently in the running to be named “Most Patriotic Small Town in America” in the contest, which is sponsored by Rand McNally and USA Today. Staff photo by Greg Russell

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July 6, 2012

They came, we sang, we wait

Visitors see best of our city

By GREG RUSSELL, Register Staff Writer Gainesville Daily Register The Daily Register Fri Jul 06, 2012, 10:54 AM CDT

Austin — A Gainesville “flash mob” took to South Denton Street Tuesday morning and treated a pair of visiting contest judges to a group serenade.

More than 150 city residents banded in front of Miss Olivia’s Bed and Breakfast at 8:30 a.m. and sang “Deep in the Heart of Texas” for Sandi McKenna and Rick Griffin, “review team” representatives of “Best of the Road,” a national competition among several American cities that includes a category of “most patriotic” along with “Best Food,” “Most Fun” and “Friendliest City” categories.

As reported during the past week, the contest is sponsored by Rand McNally and USA Today. In particular, Gainesville is in the running for “Most Patriotic Small Town in America” and stands to win extensive media exposure and special placement in future Rand McNally publications.

Related contest judging has already sent McKenna and Griffin to the other “patriotic” finalist towns of Watertown, N.Y., Duluth, Ga., DeLand, Fla., and Enterprise, Ala. Results are expected on July 15, while the judges are in Seattle, Wash.

And Tuesday’s mob began Gainesville’s second day of activities designed to display the city’s patriotism for the pair before they leave the state and head into finalizing contest decisions. A children’s bike parade, ice cream social and downtown district sprawling with the colors of red, white and blue have already unfolded for the two since Monday morning.

They both admitted Tuesday that all the local efforts have impressed them.

“It’s hard to even put into words,” McKenna said about Gainesville’s contest activities. “It’s one of the friendliest places I’ve ever been, and, patriotic? Second to none. It’s just amazing.

“They truly have touched us.”

Both McKenna and Griffin said they found poignance in seeing video footage from the city’s annual Medal of Honor Host City Program, where visiting medal recipients are honored with a week of military-themed festivities — and are celebrated to an extent that no other American city currently matches.

“That’s unique and we’ve heard great stories about it,” Griffin said. “You have reason to be proud.”

McKenna also admitted that the task of traveling with Griffin nationwide to visit six cities and watch them compete for a title of “most patriotic” is an honor, but a giant responsibility.

“Everybody pours their heart and soul into why they’re the most patriotic,” she said Tuesday morning. “And it’s not like with food, or being friendly, or being the most fun. It’s truly something that comes from everybody’s heart. I think they’re competing ... but they’re not. It stands alone, and it’s something intangible.

“We hope that we can do everybody justice.”

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