The community in the South Jersey town of Oaklyn recently came together to paint a mural on a local landmark.
On Saturday, May 31st, Oaklyn residents joined and painted trees on the Conrail bridge in the center of town. Music and food filled the main road as it was temporarily blocked off for the anticipated event.
Nancy MacGregor and other town members had been working for over a year in order to see to the success of the mural. After creating a Facebook group and getting more and more supporters, the idea of a town mural became a reality.
“I’m really excited about this,” said MacGregor, who led the committee behind the mural effort. “This is about us coming together. We’re often overshadowed by Collingswood. This project represents us.”
After accepting design ideas, all of the entries included trees; it became obvious what the focus of the mural should be.
The trees reflect the oaks that gave the borough its name, according to Robin Musciano, whose entry was chosen to be painted. Musciano’s design focused on change: an oak tree and its leaves for each of the seasons.
Funding, which was the biggest component in the success of the mural, was the least concerning aspect. Over $5,000 (way past the original $3,500 goal) has been raised, and this number continues to rise even after the community ‘paint day.’ Local businesses and residents have been donating on the website gofundme.com in hopes of the success of the project.
MacGregor commented, “I have experienced a sense of community here that has never existed anywhere else I have been. When a family is in need, they do not have to ask for help.”
No comments:
Post a Comment