Local restaurant owner and primary collaborator on the mural project, Billy Mellon, said the first mural, which read “I believe in Wilmington,” was installed in commemoration of the lives impacted by Hurricane Florence in 2018.
Earlier this year, a second mural was created by one of Mellon’s close friends, whose child was diagnosed with cancer.
Mellon says the mural project, which was funded through various sponsorships, has been a great way for small businesses to give back to the community.
“So we decided to kind of find some worthy charities that kind of benefited the children of the area. Then, years passed, we got to phase two, which is the I believe in a cure. And then the last one, we kind of filled in with dreams, because it made sense for the local community that they actually got to come in and do their own thing," he said.
While waiting for the youth to arrive, business owner Amy Grant, who also sits on the board for DREAMS, said, “This means the world to so many people, and those eight to 18-year-olds, I'm sure they'll remember this mural all their lives.”
Mellon said a plaque with QR code will be posted next to the mural soon that will direct people to more information about the piece and where they can donate.
The event was rained out before the DREAMS kids could see their work unveiled. However they can feel proud knowing they’ve left a mark on their hometown.
