LUCASVILLE, Ohio (AP) — Inmates and staff have put up murals
and military paraphernalia at a southern Ohio prison to create what
they call a "Veterans Corridor" in tribute to people who served in the
U.S. military.
Wall murals at the Southern Ohio Correctional
Facility in Lucasville include a depiction of a tank in a fiery scene
and a calmer image of George Washington kneeling in prayer next to a
horse, the Portsmouth Daily Times (http://bit.ly/1dFEGnG) reported.
Those
murals were created by inmate Mike Shane, who bases his work on
5-by-7-inch photos. He said he learned his art skills on his own and
hopes someday to help others with the skills that he says have turned
around his life.
"It’s something I love to do and it’s how I keep
myself busy; how I keep myself out of trouble and how I keep focused,"
said Shane, who got help from others.
Corrections Officer Darren
Mustard said the tribute corridor created by Shane and other inmates and
staff includes flags and military patches along the walls.
"The
walls just needed something on them, and I served in the Army, so we
started getting flags put up, and other officers and staff members told
us things they would like to see," Mustard said.
The tribute is getting some attention from veterans, including a local group that recently toured it.
"This
is just a small token of appreciation where we can show our
appreciation to our veteran staff members as well as all the veterans
within Scioto County and the surrounding counties," the warden, Donald
Morgan, said.
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Information from: Portsmouth Daily Times, http://www.portsmouth-dailytimes.com

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