The reopening of Calgary City Centre campus was an opportunity to celebrate and reclaim our strength as a community. While physically apart, we remained strong together. After months of subdued social activity due to COVID-19, Calgary's downtown streets began to stir as our society awakened to a new “norm”.
After successfully adapting to necessary protocols to provide students with alternative methods to complete their academic goals, Calgary City Centre campus has reopened with mandatory masks and physically distancing measures in place, to maintain health and wellness as a priority.
As a unique community initiative by the Child and Youth Services Worker program, 30 blank canvases were distributed to students, family members, staff, and friends within the community – aged 5 to 17 – to paint and create unique art work and recreate a famous Charles Roppel quote:
"If you take the 'I' out of illness, and add 'we', you end up with wellness" (McKenzie, 1984).
This “Wellness Project” is a community event that highlights and emphasizes Roppel’s statement in an artistic display. Decades later, Roppel's clever wordplay still holds true and relevant.
When the 30 canvases are placed together, they form Roppel’s quote, which creates a physical representation of the author’s words and a meaningful reflection of our college’s support of community connection.
Reeves College’s students, family members, friends, and volunteers were given two weeks to complete their individual canvases, and were then required to drop off their completed canvas to the campus at a designated time, in order to comply with the province’s distancing guidelines.
The completed mural is now on display on our featured wall at the Calgary City Centre campus, for all students, staff, and community members to see. Check it out here on our social channels.
During these challenging times, we have truly discovered our resiliency and strength. Mental health and wellness continues to be an increasingly imperative part of our overall health and wellbeing. There is nothing more beautiful than a community coming together for a meaningful initiative. This Wellness Project became a widespread community initiative in downtown Calgary, where creativity was unified in this outstanding mural.
Celebrate our reopening with us and find our full mural on Instagram.