This letter really surprised us because it arrived in an amazon package at our front door.I didn't think I had another order coming in,so we were really confused until we saw that it was labeled for the letter project.We were then really anxious to open it once we saw it was for the project.As soon as we opened it we saw a can of chili and were really dumbfounded as to the reason for this until we read the letter.Shannon lives just northeast of Cincinnati,Ohio,where this chili is made.There seems to be a big debate as to which brand is better,Skyline (the one she sent us) or Gold Star.I hope it doesn't seem like we have picked sides,although one could maybe entice us with some wonderful Ohio buckeyes. :) I wouldn't want to have Gold Star lovers mad at us.
Shannon grew up in Ohio and still lives close by her childhood home,which she shared with us in the pictures below.It's so weird how I can find something in the letters that I can relate to.Shannon says she went to St. Cecilia school as a child,I used to attend catechism as a child at St. Cecilia (in Louisiana)...small world. :)
She also says that Cincinnati had the nickname "Porkopolis" because of the number of slaughterhouses in the 1800's.She says that even today,they like to keep the "pork" identity.For example,when a commons area called Sawyer Point was renovated to celebrate the bicentennial,a sculpture was built with four smokestacks and atop each one was a winged pig.She said it was quite controversial for a while,but now people have grown to love it.They even have a marathon there called "The Flying Pig Marathon", where people put on pig masks and pig noses.There are also various events such as "The Final Mile" for kids.From Jan.-April kids keep track of how many miles they walk at home or in gym class on a "Hog Log".The goal is to accumulate 25 miles,with the last mile being walked in the downtown area before the actual marathon.So then the kids have walked a whole marathon (26 miles),just not all at once.
She also mentions a wonderful museum at Union Terminal.It used to be a train station in the 1930's - early 1970's. A lot of soldiers leaving for World War II went through that terminal.There is a huge mosaic in the rotunda showing Cincinnati's history.She said that once the train station was closed,many businesses tried locating there with no success.Then in the 1990's someone got the idea of moving the Natural History Museum there and turning it into a museum complex and it has been very successful.One of the exhibits features clothing and how rooms looked during the war and much more.Her family enjoys visiting the many exhibits there.Her son is currently studying Egyptian history,so they will be visiting an exhibit on Cleopatra.Sounds fun and very educational....just our thing.
She also mentioned that they have a wonderful zoo in Cincinnati that is known throughout the country.Correct me if I'm wrong,but I think Jack Hannah works there,too.She says the zoo is installing special solar grids over a renovated parking area to keep the cars cool while absorbing solar rays to convert to power.That is very cool.
Below is Shannon's awesome letter,along with some brochures and a print out of pictures that featured them at the Pig Marathon,her childhood home,her current home,Museum Center,Skyline Chili factory,and the Great American Ballpark and of course,the can of chili she sent us.Thanks Shannon for the great letter,brochures & chili.We really enjoyed your package!
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