The CARE Mural: Celebrating Health, Wellness & Diversity
In May of 2021, Harbin Clinic announced its collaboration with longstanding partner, the YMCA of Rome and Floyd County, and the Rome Mural CoLab on the CARE Mural. The CARE Mural stands for Connecting All. Reaching Everyone., and the mural’s purpose is to celebrate health, wellness and the diverse community of Rome and Floyd County. The finished design – inspired by young artists throughout the area – adorns the walls of the YMCA basketball gym and serves as an invigorating backdrop for athletes for years to come.
“At Harbin Clinic, we are constantly working to support and push forth initiatives that will encourage health and inclusivity in the community; the CARE Mural does just that,” says Sarah Tuck, senior director of marketing and communications at Harbin Clinic. “The mural is a creative way to spark conversations about these important topics and offer a place for young people to feel connection and acceptance.”
The partner organizations sought a way to engage as many children as possible in the creative design and development of the mural. Instructional packets were sent to all public and private schools in Rome and Floyd County, as well as several community organizations. Over 1,000 young artists in the area submitted artwork as inspiration for the mural, and the talented muralists from Rome Mural CoLab drew ideas from the selected artwork to incorporate their unique perspectives into the design.
“We wanted to truly engage with kids in the Rome and Floyd County Area throughout the entire process, from using their artwork as motivation to inviting them to paint the mural with us,” says Xaivier Ringer and Ellie Borromeo, owners of Rome Mural CoLab. The paint days, which took place in July, were open to all community members who wanted to help bring the mural to life. Those who came to participate were able to work and paint alongside Rome Mural CoLab to beautify the walls of the YMCA gym.
The now completed mural is a dynamic, meaningful representation of the health and wellness of the children in the community. The mural will provide the YMCA gym with a new, refreshed, and colorful space to encourage and energize all children who pass through it in the coming years.
Check out the CARE Mural reveal video below!
