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ITHACA, NY (CortacaToday) – New public art commemorating the COVID-19 pandemic has been unveiled in Ithaca.
The Tompkins County Whole Health Department officially announced the completed project on Tuesday. The mural, done in collaboration with the Tompkins County Office for the Aging (COFA) and Ithaca Murals, adorns the Albany Street side of the Human Services Annex Building on West State Street. Designed by Efren Rebugio and Britt Johnson, it honors local public health efforts and lives lost to COVID-19.
The county chose COFA as the site because of the impact the pandemic had on older adults. Featured in the mural is retired educator and long-term Ithaca Rotary Club member Millicent Clarke-Maynard, who was one of the first residents to get vaccinated in February 2021.
“Seeing this public art come together to encourage the community to support each other is just amazing,” said Clarke-Maynard. “For me, I have always felt nervous about getting shots, but during COVID right away I knew the importance of getting this one to protect myself and my family. For most of my life here in Ithaca I’ve been blessed to educate people, this is one part of that journey. I hope this mural gets people to think of the pandemic, both as a time of people coming together and a time where we lost many loved ones in our community.”
The mural was funded with a New York State Department of Health grant.