My SISTER HALI / OFFICIAL MOVIE COMPANION BOOK
While creating the documentary My Sister Hali, I was so fortunate to have found a scrapbook meticulously put together by my mother “Ginny” Sheriff. Lost for 40 years, I unearthed it in a forgotten corner of my attic and immediately realized that this book was my Rosetta stone. It is truly ironic that the act of posing for photographs, which I detested as a child, has in fact given me wings to reassess and understand this unique period in my life. This book is a commemorative collection of vintage images and faded newspaper articles which document the journey of the Blue Mound Gym Club. It is a visual anthology that testifies to the unfathomable vision of my mother. It is the unbelievable tribute to her daughter, my sister, a young physical genius whose name was Hali. As I put together the time line of the Blue Mound Gym Club, I frequently reflected on the interview comments of my fellow teammates, juxtaposing recollections of the 1960s with these striking images and articles. Seeing this collection, you are forced to ponder. How could this group of youngsters, from the heartland of America, tumble their way to physical prowess and take the then little-known world of American gymnastics by storm? There are many components to answering that question, and I will address that in the preface of my book. It is with amazing pride and anticipation that I share with you the following story. The resource material in the book, accompanied by archival film footage and extensive interviews with the Blue Mound Gym Club, are essential in framing the joyous yet emotionally complicated journey, which is My Sister Hali. Paul Sheriff