Coal Region Mural unveiled Saturday morning in Shamokin

by justin strawser

SHAMOKIN - The colorful billboard mural near the Cameron Bridge is intended to create a sense of community pride in local heritage, Vision for Growth (V4G) President Richard Earl said Saturday morning at the unveiling ceremony.

The mural will create "a sense of place so visitors know they in the coal region now, and help us move with confidence into the future," he said to a crowd of nearly 50 people.

The 8-by-20-foot-billboard was erected at the former Glen Burn Colliery property along Route 61 just south of the bridge. The mural features a coal miner with a pick ax extending off the left side of the billboard, a coal-hauling train headed off the right side and a scene of the former colliery building in the background.

At the top of the colorful scene are written the community names of Shamokin and Coal Township and the phrase "Gateway to the Coal Region."

During the dedication speech, Earl, pastor of Mountainside Assembly of God Church in Coal Township, pointed out a cross on a nearby hill.

"The cross symbolizes our total indebtedness to God for our salvation," he said. "It is He that placed the coal in the ground for

us to use, and it is Him who we must acknowledge and worship if we are to expect continued blessings."

'A good thing'

Local artists Dave Zielinskie and Shawn McGugan were commissioned to paint the mural. Zielinskie was unavailable for the unveiling, but McGugan was joined by Zielinskie's 18-year-old son, Michael, who assisted the artists. McGugan and the younger Zielinskie pulled the blue tarp off the billboard shortly after the 10 a.m. ceremony began.

"It's a good thing to have coming into the community," McGugan said afterward. "I'm glad to be a part of it."

McGugan, a 27-year-old art teacher at Shamokin Area Middle/High School, said it was a year-long combined effort between him, Zielinskie and V4G members.

"The planning and deciding were the hardest part," he said.

The process of actually painting and constructing the billboard took just over a month, and the weather was pleasant enough considering the project pushed well into November, said McGugan.

"Believe it or not, (the weather cleared) every time we had to do something," he said. "We should be shivering. It was really on our side."

Plan scaled back

According to Earl, the original idea was to paint multiple murals on the side of the old miners' washhouse on the property. That "became an unworkable plan" since it would have required a base coat of paint on the entire large and aging cement-block building before any mural work could have begun.

Instead, the billboard was constructed adjacent to the washhouse on the property, which is owned by former Sen. Ed Helfrick and his son, Ed Helfrick Jr.

V4G arranged a cleanup day at the washhouse property last year, and nearly 100 people showed up to cut down trees, clear brush and fill potholes in what organizers called an inspiring display of community spirit. V4G sees the billboard as the next step in beautifying the property.

'Little milestones'

Representing Shamokin was City Clerk Dave Kinder. Representing Coal Township were township manager Robert Slaby Jr. and Commissioner George Zalar.

"I'm thankful for all the hard work and how beautiful for the mural is," said Zalar. "It's the little milestones that get the area back."

Earl thanked many for their donations and support, including Northumberland County Council for the Arts and Humanities; the Helfrick family; Coal Township commissioners; Zielinskie and McGugan; the V4G board: the Rev. Sam Bellavia, the Rev. Navin Satyavrata, Denise Hoffman and Denise Slaby, as well as team leaders Sandy Winhofer, Andy Heintzelman and Jeannie Shaffer.

The billboard project is still in need of $1,300 worth of funding. Tax-deductible contributions can be sent to Vision for Growth, c/o Mountainside Assembly of God Church, 1900 Trevorton Road, Coal Township, 17866. For more information, contact Earl at 648-8818.

V4G's mission statement is: "Vision for Growth, through ambassadors of the Lord Jesus Christ, will initiate real and lasting social and spiritual transformation in our community for the glory of God. We will break down barriers and build bridges to mobilize people toward actions that will renew hope and encourage unity."