CARE: Painting a picture of our vibrant community
“I will never forget my son setting down his paintbrush to go jump rope in front of the “better together” wall,” described the parent of a 4-year-old boy helping paint the CARE Mural last summer. “The mural wasn’t even finished, and he understood that this was an invitation to play. It was moving that he so immediately identified with the space,” she shared.
That parent’s experience was exactly what Harbin Clinic, the YMCA, and the Rome Mural CoLab hoped for when they began reimagining the basketball gymnasium at the Y. The CARE Mural, which stands for Connecting all. Reaching everyone., was envisioned as a celebration of health, wellness, and the diverse community of Rome and Floyd County. Just as that small boy instinctively felt drawn to join the joy and activity he saw depicted on the wall, the CARE Mural has created an empowering space that will affect generations to come.
For those who have lived in our community for any considerable amount of time, it is not surprising to see Harbin Clinic spearhead such a community-oriented project. With more than 140 doctors and 35 different medical specialties, few residents have not been impacted by Harbin Clinic’s medical care in some way. If you look around Rome-Floyd county, there is evidence of Harbin Clinic’s presence beyond medical care all around. Harbin Clinic and its physicians have made investments in building a stronger, healthier and more active community in many ways — from soccer fields to 5Ks to partnering with local nonprofits dedicated to addressing health disparities.
This investment is exactly what the CARE Mural illustrates as Harbin Clinic began fostering inclusive conversations about what health and wellness look like in Northwest Georgia with the YMCA and Rome Mural CoLab. Harbin Clinic and the YMCA are longstanding partners and have a shared focus on keeping children from all backgrounds healthy and active. With the idea to reimagine the YMCA basketball gym using the artistic expression of children, the mural echoes the organization’s mission of leading socially responsible initiatives that promote health and vitality in the communities they serve.
“The CARE Mural is much more than paint on a wall,” said Sarah Tuck, senior director of marketing and communication at Harbin Clinic. “We wanted the end-result to reflect our vibrant and diverse community, so we knew we couldn’t do it alone. The community was involved at every step of the project. More than 1,000 children and youth across Rome-Floyd County contributed artwork that inspired Rome Mural CoLab’s fantastic, energizing design. We were thrilled to see such great participation at the community paint days as well.”
Seeing children pose in front of the colorful walls of the Y, flexing their muscles and grinning ear-to-ear under the words, “Never Give Up!” is a dose of encouragement this community needs today. After the past two years, Rome-Floyd County is craving intentional connection, and this is a prime example of one of the many programs and partnerships Harbin Clinic has invested in that has allowed residents to link arms and become healthier and stronger together. Keep an eye out for the ways Harbin Clinic is serving more than medical needs and caring completely for Rome-Floyd County in 2022.