SUNBURY – The Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way building got a facelift recently when the organization unveiled a new mural at its Arch Street location in Sunbury.
Working with a local artist known as “Mars” and his collegue “Mr. Will,” President and CEO of United Way Joanne Troutman says they first met a few years ago at a Teens Impact Council meeting, “We were having discussion about how to engage children and adolescents in their community in a way that taps their passion, and I think that really is what has impressed me so much about Mars and his collegue. His mission, personal and professional, to just really bring hope, creativity, and passion to everything he does, and I think he really wants that for kids.”
Mars says their design was inspired by the different levels of work and the diverse ways in which United Way helps people and builds up the community, “The design that we finally came to, it ended up being brushstrokes and really abstract, and what we were talking about with layers. It kind of pointed to the fact that there’s a lot going on here, but it’s all united, it’s harmonious.”
He says the mural took about 100 hours to complete and was the first one of its kind that he’s been a part of. Meanwhile, Troutman says the United Way office will be re-opening to the public again in July, so the project was a perfect way to do that.
