GEORGETOWN, Texas — When a community comes together to support a good cause, hearts open and healing can occur. This past August, the City of Georgetown solicited proposals from artists for painting of a mural to honor veterans. The City of Georgetown received a grant of $14,000 from the National Endowment for the Arts and Texas Commission on the Arts and collaborated with the Georgetown Rotary Club on the new project. The purpose in wanting the grant money was to create something to honor veterans and military service members who have mental and physical health issues while also including the community in a project.
The money has been used to help fund the Healing Arts for Veterans Program and resulted in the creation of a mural which is now painted on the outside of Wag Heaven at 205 W. Sixth St. The timeline for completion of the painting, which has a service-dog theme, was targeted at Veterans Day week, held each year on November 11. The event was also tied in with the annual Rotary Club’s “Field of Honor” which is on display through Sunday, November 15.
A second component of the Healing Arts Program is “Storytelling Through Music” which sets stories and poems written by veterans to music. A music video had to be produced in lieu of staging a public event because of restrictions due to COVID-19.
Owners of Wag Heaven, Jusak Bernhard Yang and Jeffery Manley, have a mission of creating a pet hub for the community, according to the business’s website. The store sells pet supplies and has a self-serve dog wash for owners to wash dogs as well as cats. The wash stations require no reservation, but are filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. The business also stages a dog adoption event every fourth Saturday of the month. They offer free delivery on all orders of $50 or more, with delivery on Tuesday and Friday afternoons.
View a video about the project on FOX7 Austin in an interview Amanda Still, the City of Georgetown’s Arts and Culture coordinator.