April 4th, 2014 was a day of true celebration. Students gathered in the heart of campus at the University of North Carolina in Charlotte to witness the dedication of a beautiful piece of artwork. But it is the powerful and inspiring message that the sunflower sculpture displays that will continue to touch the lives of all who view it.
The sunflowers stand to honor the 350 million who suffer worldwide from depression and other forms of mental illness. With that honor, it serves as a reminder that no one student or person should ever have to stand alone. Help and Hope are always available in our greatest time of need. A plaque reads:
This sunflower sculpture is donated to the University in recognition for those suffering from depression and other mental illnesses. The sunflower is yellow, the color of joy; it naturally grows toward the sunlight and likewise, this sunflower sculpture symbolizes turning away from the darkness and embracing the light. Embrace the light that surrounds us, as no amount of darkness can overpower the light that is available to all.
The Graduate Team and the Inspiring Story Behind Their Project
Pictured from left to right: Bhargavi Golluru, Chris Yoder, Paul Franklin, Samantha Howie, and Tim Seckler
Their passion came from the heart with each student having known someone or been impacted in their life in some way by mental illness. When learning about iFred’s Field for Hope project, the team initially wanted to do a sunflower planting on campus to help raise awareness and reduce the stigma of depression.
Early into their project, they were met with their first obstacle. A viable location did not exist for the planting or care of sunflowers. The team did not give up hope! Instead, they decided to engineer and construct a sculpture in the form of a sunflower. This course of action opened up the opportunity for creating awareness and sharing the message with campus inhabitants, faculty and visitors year round.
They put in an incredible amount of time and effort to see the sculpture come to life in a matter of weeks. The team posted fliers announcing the unveiling, as well as creating an event on social media to invite the student body, faculty, and visitors. Please visit Artwork for Hope for a visual display of their creative process.
The Dedication
The entire team was present to welcome attendees and share the story of their project. Sunflower pins and brochures were distributed near a bright colored sign displaying the message “Help Bring Sunshine Into The Lives of Others”. Samantha Howie stated, “Our ultimate goal is to let those with depression know that they are not alone. There is help available.”
Melissa Marshburn from Cardinal Innovations and Penny Tate from iFred were proud to attend, speak, and personally thank the students.
Cindy Ballaro was so inspired by the event, she has plans to carry on the message with her own sunflower sculpture display
at The Respite: A Centre for Grief and Hope. What a beautiful way to deliver hope through the creative process of art.
iFred extends a heartfelt thank you to the following students on the “To Give Them A Choice” Team. These individuals deserve the highest recognition for all of their hard work in shining their light. Their vision was brought to a reality and will impact the lives of students, faculty, and visitors to come.
A new article written by Penny Tate
#sharehope #endstigma #shinelight
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