World War I Centennial

In honor of the upcoming (August 2014) centennial of the start of World War I, here's a photo of a Philadelphia doughboy, who has its own hero in my cousin Mary Dankanis.  The statue once stood in the Northern Lights neighborhood of Philadelphia for 55 years, then disappeared for 6 years. Cousin Mary--a fixture in the Northern Liberties neighborhood of Philadelphia and a force to be reckoned with--decided that the statue had to be returned.  Over a 14-month period between 1980 and 1981, Mary coordinated efforts by collecting signatures and speaking to local authorities demanding its return. Ultimately she won the battle to return the statue to the neighborhood. Its current location is on the corner of 2nd and Spring Streets, in the heart of Northern Liberties, where it remains standing tall and proud. Enjoy!