Alexas Adams displays one of several murals and and two Kennebunk High School classmates painted as their senior project. The murals are destined for the walls at Community Outreach Services food pantry. This one displays broccoli – and a warm message. Tammy Wells Photo
KENNEBUNK – There are smiling apples, grinning oranges and green stalks of broccoli reaching to the sky.
Between the painted figures of merry vegetables and fruit are expressions of support – thoughtful words of encouragement.
The murals, painted on boards by seniors Alexas Adams, Jillian Lapointe and Emily Angelichio, will soon be hung on the walls of the Community Outreach Services – known as COS- food pantry on Park Street as their senior project.
Kennebunk High School senior Emily Angelichio holds one of the murals she and a couple of classmates painted for COS food pantry on Park Street in Kennebunk. Tammy Wells Photo
The food pantry moved to the Park Street location, owned by the town of Kennebunk, in September. The former teen center building, vacant for several years, was cleaned up and spruced up and the plumbing and other fixtures brought up to current standards.
On a recent day, it was looking good, the white walls were clean and fresh, and the portable racks of pantry shelves were stocked with cans and bags and boxes of nonperishable foods.
The mural project is among others seniors have taken on at the food pantry said David Hingham operations manager for Community Outreach Services. Another is some raised-bed gardens, posting leafy greens on a late spring day.
Soon, those walls inside will be bright with color and whimsey, when the murals, painted by the three seniors with guidance from artist Danie Connolly, will be hung.
“We agreed on all the messages,” the murals would contain, said Adams.
Kennebunk High School Senior Jillian Lapointe applies paint to a mural at Community Outreach Services food pantry. The murals will be hung around the pantry, bringing color and some positive messages. Tammy Wells Photo
“I wanted to stay away from “smile” or “be happy,” said Angelichio, instead leaning toward more uplifting messages like one that says “tough times never last, but tough people do,” or “difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations.”
“I like the positive messages,” said Lapointe and she dabbed paint around the edge of a mural. ”
The murals are upbeat and fun, and may be a bright light for folks who stop by for food.
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