At last…a dream come true for me. I finally got to meet one of Danville’s most notable celebrities. No, no, no. Not native son Jon Dalton (AKA Jonny Fairplay) of “Survivor” fame. Get real. I’m talking about none other than Lady Liberty herself, the most recognizable (and inspiring) fixture along Danville’s Piney Forest Road.Yes, it’s the time of year again. Tax season. The time of year that no one likes. But…if there is one bright spot to it all, it’s the annual re-emergence of Lady Liberty, that All-American icon who stands day in, day out—from January 1 to April 15—waving, smiling, dancing, laughing, and greeting all the cars that pass by her spot in front of the
Liberty Income Tax offices. Cars beep their horns. Drivers smile & wave. People take photos with their camera phones. Recently, a dad even stopped with his little boy who insisted on meeting (& dancing with) Danville's living, breathing replica of the Statue of Liberty.I didn’t dance with Lady Liberty--trust me, it wouldn't have been a pretty sight--but I did stop long
enough for a photo op with her. But even more than getting my picture made with her, I'd been wanting to meet her for a long time. It was last year, during tax season, when I wrote a blog in tribute to her. (March 1, 2007 - "Rockin' Lady Liberty.") I did not even know her then, but this happy lady with the strong personal magnetism really inspired me. Especially in the way she loved her work and poured everything into it. And so I decided to share my thoughts about her in one of my Internet postings.Soon after that blog posted, several readers commented to me that they too had admired Miss Liberty's joyful disposition. Then, I got a call from Carolyn Grace, also
a Mount Hermon member. I had not been at the church very long, so I didn’t realize that Carolyn was the owner-operator of the Liberty Income Tax franchise here in Danville. Carolyn runs the enterprise and handles the marketing. Her husband Robert is the tax expert. They also employ several other people. Carolyn was absolutely delighted with my blog and had shared it with Lady Liberty herself
(whose real name is Yolanda, by the way.) The blog was a real encouragement to her as well. But it didn’t stop there. They sent my blog posting on to the corporate offices of Liberty Income Tax, and the folks there loved it, too. And all of this was simply further affirmation to Carolyn Grace and the other folks at Liberty as to what a great marketing tool Lady Liberty is. In fact, she’s the best advertising investment the local Danville office makes. People all over Danville recognize her familiar face and they love her undaunted enthusiasm.
(whose real name is Yolanda, by the way.) The blog was a real encouragement to her as well. But it didn’t stop there. They sent my blog posting on to the corporate offices of Liberty Income Tax, and the folks there loved it, too. And all of this was simply further affirmation to Carolyn Grace and the other folks at Liberty as to what a great marketing tool Lady Liberty is. In fact, she’s the best advertising investment the local Danville office makes. People all over Danville recognize her familiar face and they love her undaunted enthusiasm. But it's more than simply putting a person in a costume and placing them in a promient place. It's all about the person inside the costume. And Yolanda's persona is what makes the Lady Liberty concept work so amazingly well. (Hmmm. I think there's a sermon in there somewhere, don't you?)
Keep up the good work, Lady Liberty! You're an inspiration to all of us. Long may you wave!
