Mural commemorating COVID-19 unveiled in Ithaca

ITHACA, N.Y. — A mural commemorating community public health efforts and honoring those who passed away from COVID-19 was unveiled in Ithaca Tuesday.

The mural was sponsored by Tompkins County Whole Health (TCWH) in collaboration with the Tompkins County Office for the Aging (COFA) and Ithaca Murals.

The mural was designed by Britt Johnson and Efren Rebugio of Austin, Texas. The pair have partnered with Ithaca Murals in the past and have painted several murals in the region. In their mural are depictions of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Tompkins County community. The mural captures different visual elements of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Tompkins County community. The mural demonstrates how critical vaccinations are to prevent illness and keep one another healthy and safe, especially during public health emergencies. The mural shows people coming together in an uncertain and challenging time for our community.

Most prominently featured in the mural is Millicent Clarke-Maynard, a retired educator and long-term member of the Ithaca Rotary. Clarke-Maynard was one of the first older adults to receive the COVID-19 vaccination at the first pop-up clinic in Ithaca in February 2021. A photo of her receiving the vaccine was featured in a local public health messaging campaign and has now been translated as a portrait on the mural.

Clarke-Maynard said she was eager to receive her first COVID-19 vaccination. She said she is grateful to be seen as a leader and to be included in the mural.

“Wow, seeing this public art come together to encourage the community to support each other is just amazing," Clarke-Maynard said. "I hope this mural gets people to think of the pandemic, both as a time of people coming together and a time where we lost many loved ones in our community. I’m proud to be a part of this project.”

According to New York State, since September 2023, 22.5% of the Tompkins County population has been vaccinated with the updated COVID-19 vaccine. Tompkins County Whole Health Commissioner Frank Kruppa said he has a goal to raise the percentage.

“Vaccination is a proven, safe way to protect one another and reduce illness in the community," Kruppa said. "Staying up to date on current vaccination recommendations is essential to maintaining protection against current COVID-19 strains.”

The mural can be found on Albany Street in Ithaca on the side of the Human Services Annex Building. The building houses COFA and the Tompkins County Department of Veterans Services. The mural was funded through a grant from the NYS Department of Health to promote COVID-19 vaccination efforts.