Reaching Out To Community Children
Volunteers brighten the lives of countless children and their communities with beautiful Wall Art™ murals, a simple way to add color and design.
We can find angels right here on earth in the form of generous people who give their time to help other people. Every year the McKesson corporation encourages their employees to take a day so they can give back to their communities in a program called Community Days. Volunteers used the benefits of art therapy in 2006 by painting murals in many children’s hospitals and clinics. Imagine the feeling of hope these children felt during a time of despair and how these colorful murals brighten their lives. When you are decorating traditional house plans, consider incorporating Wall Art™ murals in certain rooms to add unique color and boost your spirits everyday.
McKesson is a healthcare services and information technology company with headquarters in San Francisco. The employees understand the struggles of development centers and children’s hospitals. Nine years ago, McKesson executives created Community Days to give back to their community. McKesson employees come together to brighten their neighborhoods during an all-employee volunteer week.
Three years ago, this project extended past San Francisco to incorporate multiple cities in the United States. McKesson Community days is now a lasting tradition of hope and goodness. Community Days continues to grow and in 2006 it reached 47 different McKesson sites all across the United States and Canada.
Christine Lopez, Manager of Community Relations, says, “McKesson sponsors this event to encourage employees to take a day to give back to their community. We’ve grown so much over the years and we’re hoping to keep expanding and become an international event.”
In 2006, the Community Days focused on painting wall murals in community clinics, child development centers and local hospitals, revolving around art therapy and how decorative painting can ease a child’s pain. Lopez proclaims, “These murals are a lasting gift with many therapeutic benefits. Recovery is mental, not just physical.”
According to the American Cancer Society, art therapy can help people to “express hidden emotions, reduce stress, fear and anxiety and provide a sense of freedom.”
Lopez goes on to say, “A child may see one of these murals right before an operation, and they may feel a little less scared. That alone is an amazing gift.”
You can easily bring these therapeutic benefits into your newly built traditional home plan by adding Wall Art murals or volunteering your time around your community as well.
During May 2006, more than 2,000 McKesson employees volunteered to roll up their sleeves and get to work painting nearly 200 murals in 47 different sites. Employees also helped clean up outdoor areas with gardening and participated in food banks.
The Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children was particularly affected by the murals. Many volunteers worked together to create a fitting mural that touched numerous people in the hospital’s community. Stephanie Brigger, vice president and director of development at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children said, “McKesson has been such a great friend of the hospital for the past 19 years, providing not only monetary support, but also the gift of their employees’ time and talents. Our friends at McKesson volunteered their time this past spring to paint a mural for our children to enjoy. The hospital’s Luke Waites Center for Dyslexia and Learning Disorders evaluates and treats thousands of children for dyslexia each year,” Brigger explains. “The mural adds lots of vibrant color, and the hot air balloon design underscores the Center’s theme, ‘The Sky is the Limit!’ We are so thankful for the dedication and enthusiasm of McKesson employees.”
Although Community Days assists so many needy people every year, the activities also benefit the volunteers themselves. Lopez explains, “Getting into these clinics gave our employees meaningful insight into what McKesson, as a healthcare company, does and stands for.”
Many new employees felt their time volunteering was an enjoyable, team-building experience. Volunteer Karen Lynn-Jones of Newton, Illinois, said, “This was a great way to improve company morale and build team spirit across groups that don’t normally work together.”
Though the affect of the murals is significant, the task itself was actually very easy. This makes them a great option for DIY homeowners building or redecorating traditional home plans. The Wall Art™ murals were tested by McKesson for ease and simplicity and Lopez says, “People who have never painted before were able to do this project with no problem. We also liked how multiple people could work on the murals together, get it done in one day, and the clean-up was a breeze.”
In just three simple steps, Wall Art murals are complete. First, tape the paper to the wall. Second, trace the pattern on the wall; and third, paint with the paints provided.
In a couple of months, McKesson will be doing it again. Their efforts continue to help youth throughout the world and brighten communities where we work and live. Their employees will turn into earth angels by giving their time and their hearts and everyone reaps rewards in the process.
For additional information about McKesson, visit www.mckesson.com.
For additional information about Wall Art™ murals used for McKesson’s 2006 Community Days and how you can incorporate them into your home plan, please visit www.wallartdesigns.com.
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