06/23/2026
Our Free Pizza Contest Winner is Taylor Anderson 🍕
Congratulations! Please send us a private message to claim your free pizza.
Thank you to everyone who participated in our Championship City mural contest. We loved reading your interpretations and seeing the conversations it sparked throughout our community.
Now that the contest is over, we'd like to share the story behind the mural.
Artist Seth Booth wanted to highlight Salem's motto, "Championship City," in a different way than it has been portrayed before. Inspired by his own childhood playing sports in Salem and watching generations of young athletes take to the fields and courts, he wanted to capture the moment when a child dreams of one day becoming a champion.
The Blue Ridge Mountains represent the place we proudly call home. The child sitting on the fence overlooks Kiwanis Field, imagining the excitement of the game and dreaming of following in the footsteps of those who came before. It's a reminder to every young person that big dreams often begin with a simple moment of inspiration.
The sports equipment throughout the mural represents the many sports and athletes who have brought championships to Salem over the years.
The #5 jersey honors Billy Sample, who went on to play Major League Baseball and now has Kiwanis Field named in his honor. The #71 jersey pays tribute to Don Oakes, who played at Andrew Lewis before enjoying a successful career in the NFL.
The 24153 license plate is another nod to Salem and the pride we all have in calling this community home.
While the mural celebrates Salem's rich athletic tradition, "Championship City" is about much more than winning games. It reflects who we are as a community. We strive to be champions not only on the field, court, or mat, but also in our schools, our businesses, our families, and in the way we care for one another.
Our hope—and the artist's hope—is that this mural inspires young kids to dream big while reminding adults of their own childhood memories, creating conversations that connect generations through the shared pride of being part of Salem.
Thank you again to everyone who participated and helped bring the story of Championship City to life.
