Mural with a message painted inside Williamsburg waterpark

When visitors go to the Kentucky Splash waterpark in Williamsburg this summer, they will be greeted in part by a new mural project, which is designed to start a discussion about things everyone can do to prevent violence.

“We wanted to be able to talk about violence prevention in fun, non-threatening ways so that people can become aware that we all play a role in violence prevention and there is something that we all can do that is safe and comfortable to prevent violence. The waterpark is a highly visible place in the summertime with kids and adults both being present,” Cumberland River Behavioral Health Victims’ Services Director Cecelia White wrote in an e-mail.

“We plan to have a QR code on the wall that people will be able to scan with their phones to learn more about Community Green Dot. We hope that with kids and adults being present, conversations about being kind, including others in groups, and looking out for each other will be discussed in a fun, light hearted way that will have a lasting impact on both kids and adults.”

The interactive mural is the brainchild of the Cumberland River Behavioral Health’s Whitley County Community Green Dot program, which is composed of White, Angie Weaver, Anita Bowman, Savanna McKiney, Erin Moler, Chasity Curry and Bridgett Rogers.

“It has a bubble wand painted on one end that people will stand in front of and then there are bubbles painted on the wall that will have things that people can do to prevent violence. One bubble has Imagine a World Without Violence painted in it. This was chosen because it is a simple, fun way of getting the message out about violence prevention. It is also likely to get attention and therefore get people talking because it will be colorful against a white background on the concession stand next to the wave pool,” White wrote.

Williamsburg Mayor Roddy Harrison and Weaver were instrumental in securing the location and getting approval for the mural there.

Community Green Dot is a violence prevention program that teaches people how to do proactive and reactive green dots, White said.

“Proactive green dots are things that help to prevent violence before it occurs. Reactive green dots are things that everyone can do to intervene when a potentially dangerous situation is happening,” White wrote.

Hilary Baker, Child Trauma Therapist, is the artist. Danielle Asher, Chrissie Freeman, McKiney, Curry, and Moler, all staff of Cumberland River Victims Services, all assisted with the mural painting, which was largely completed last week.

Baker also painted the Whitley County Community Green Dot program’s butterfly mural last year, which is located on the WEKC building at Fourth and Main streets in Williamsburg.

The waterpark mural is being funded by grant monies from the Kentucky Association of Sexual Assault Programs (KASAP).

In addition to starting discussions about things everyone can do to prevent violence, White wrote that the group also hopes that community and church groups will request to learn more about the Community Green Dot Program. She hopes that they will request an introductory speech as well as a longer training regarding what people can do to change the culture so that violence is not accepted and everyone does their part to prevent it.

“Then no one will have to ‘Imagine a World Without Violence’ because we, in Whitley County, will have achieved it,” White wrote.

Contact White at 528-7010 extension 124 or McKiney at 528-7010 extension 159 to schedule an introduction speech about Green Dot or a longer training. Training can be done virtually or in person.