‘Erwin Strong’ mural aims to lift spirits, raise money for flood relief

ERWIN, Tenn. (WJHL) — A new mural in downtown Erwin is aiming at lifting spirits, all while raising money for flood relief.

“We’ve been out here for three days volunteering to bring some color to Erwin, try to lift spirits,” Madison Ramey with MadrPaints said. “[We] are actually doing a fundraiser along with the mural. It’ll be a ‘buy a brick’ fundraiser.”

Those who purchase a brick can then come by and sign their name, and write a memento or something that makes them feel part of the community.

All the funds and donations through the program will go toward Erwin for hurricane relief.

“[We] had two people come up, a couple of business owners actually, and they wanted to bring some more color. They want to do the same thing. And they’re they’re very inspired by it,” Ramey said. “We had locals that had come and told us stories about people that were working when the flood happened that were in their homes and were affected by it.”

Ramey said she hopes the mural will be a positive reminder in the community.

“I hope it’s permanent. I hope it is something that lasts. I don’t necessarily want it to be a reminder of the bad,” Ramey said. “I want it to be a good, positive thing. So looking forward, we can look, acknowledge what happened, but then see the signatures and see the way the community came together and did something. Pieced it together… So I hope that it’s not a reminder of the negative, but it’s a really good reminder of the positive, to stay.”

The mural is at the corner of Main Street and Gay Street, across from the county courthouse, in Erwin.

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