An officer passing out donuts, cars beeping at volunteers painting to show their approval, small crowds of people walking up and down the street collecting garbage that lay on the ground. This was the sight that occurred at the East Side Community Center on to celebrate and honor Central Connecticut’s Annual Days of Service.

The event was a weekend long event in which students had the opportunity to volunteer within the city of New Britain and do various acts of kindness, such as reading to school children, participating in walks for a cause or help beautify parts the community.

“It’s awesome to see students come out into the community. [Central] is isolated, so it’s nice to see students out,” Captain Adam Rembisz of the New Britain Police Department stated regarding Central volunteers.

Joanna Ruggiero-Rivera, Youth Director at the YWCA, spoke about Central Connecticut’s partnership and how they became involved in the Day of Service. “The school wanted to do more for the community,” Ruggiero-Rivera acknowledged.

Arriving by bus early Saturday morning to the East Side Community Center, several volunteers were eager to work and fulfill their commitment of beautifying the east side neighborhood.

Tasks consisted of helping rid the streets of garbage or painting a mural along the side of the community center, relating to the motto of New Britain: “Industry fills the hive and enjoys the honey.”

The mural consists of bees, honeycombs made of hexagons and people with bee wings on a bright blue background symbolizing the sky. The artwork is meant to be a representation of the residents in the east side community coming together to help shape the next generation’s future.

Valerie Cammarota, Director of Programs and Grants at the YWCA, shared how residents of the east side community filled out survey’s addressing neighborhood concerns during local events. Based on feedback, the advisory board was able to determine what to do for residents.

A group of teens involved in photojournalism known as Photovoice, took pictures showing that having community art revitalizes neighborhoods based on Arch Street’s replica of San Juan, Puerto Rico’s Umbrella Street, painted in the alley way. Through these findings, Central Connecticut art professor Ted Efremoff, and his general education art in community class were able to come up with the concept of the mural.

“I told them (the students) we were going to make a mural this semester and they said ok! Valerie and Joanna wanted to see the design and said yes once they heard the concept of the mural,” Efremoff shared.

Efremoff continued the theme of the hexagons throughout, creating the spawn of honeycombs. QR codes will be painted on the inside of honeycombs where residents will have access to essential resources within the community, such as services for mental and physical health, nutrition counseling and financial assistance.

With the east side community newly embellished, residents are finally able to see that their complaints have been heard.

“The neighborhood is getting more attention. Things are getting better and people like what they see. There are more signs of optimism,” Executive Director Tracey Madden-Hennessy at the YWCA shares.

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With a mural as impactful as the one painted on the East Side Community Center wall, hope can continue to fuel its residents bringing them together and making them stronger.