CORNWALL, Ontario – The Boys and Girls Club of Cornwall/SD&G unveiled a sprawling anti-bullying jigsaw mural to mark Pink Shirt Day on Wednesday.
Over 300 kids and teens in the non-profit’s after-school programs transformed the 506 Clubhouse into a ‘Kindness Project’ mosaic during February’s national anti-bullying awareness campaign.
“My puzzle piece says ‘You’re the most beautiful person in the world, it doesn’t matter what you look like. What really matters is how you act in life,'” said BGC member Kelly Brunet-St. Denis.
The 17-year-old’s mini-painting featured a frumpy elephant and ‘demented’ squirrel to illustrate that beauty is deeper than skin.
“We all know it’s not about one day a year or the shirt. It’s about helping our youth deal and cope with bullying,” said Jacquie Richards, executive director at BGC of Cornwall/SD&G.
“It’s safe to say at the club, there’s not a week that goes by one of our staff aren’t dealing with this issue. We will only be able to tackle it as a community.”
Cornwall artist Tracy-Lynn Chisolm, whose vivid painting style also transformed the Big Brothers Big Sisters Club of Cornwall & District building, guided the club throughout the epic art installation.
“This mosaic represents the words, thoughts, and feelings of our young people,” said Richards. “It’s the first art project we’ve done that is a ‘legacy piece’ – and it will stay permanently in our clubhouse so our members can return when they’re older to appreciate it.”
