A large butterfly nestled in Alberta flowers represents Okotoks youths’ commitment to their community — not to mention plenty of artistic talent. A group of high school students created a mural at the Okotoks Community Garden as an initiative to give youth ownership at the facility and help deter vandalism. “I think it is a good idea to be part of something that is bigger than ourselves,” said Ericka Urbano, a Grade 12 student at HTA at a mural celebration at the community garden on Sept. 5. “To be involved with the community — using our talents for the community.” The mural has a majestic monarch butterfly flying over a scenic Alberta meadow of natural flowers and grasses. The mural was the idea of Reilly Carlson, a 2018 grad of Foothills Composite High School, who is now attending university in British Columbia. She had noticed the beautifully decorated electric boxes in Calgary were not being vandalized, and as a result she felt there was a chance to curtail some of the vandalism at the Okotoks community garden. The garden had been vandalized in the past. Carlson was a youth advisor with the Okotoks FCSS youth advisory committee. “I recommended that by utilizing youth artists to install a mural into the gardens they could deter further vandalism while fostering community connections with the youth involved,” said Carlson, when receiving an Okotoks Rotary Club Leaders of Tomorrow Award in April. Brooke Willard, an HTA Grade 11 student, was the one who came up with the idea of the butterfly. “We were just thinking about things we could do and I drew a butterfly and people liked it,” she said. “We sat down and drew something and came up with ideas.” The orange-and-black nectar-collecting monarch was an artistic fit for the mural. “I wanted to make it natural, but not blend in with the hill behind it,” Willard said. The butterfly was enjoying nectar from the Wild Rose Province. “I tried to make all of the flowers native to Alberta — wild roses, crocuses,” said Melanie Reid, a Grade 12 student at HTA. “I wanted to do this project because I love painting and my mom is a huge gardener. She is always telling me about different plant species and always has a beautiful garden at our house.” All three students are members of the Holy Trinity Academy Fine Arts Council. The garden is not only used by community residents, but also provides fresh vegetables for the Okotoks Food Bank. “They have been putting fresh produce in hampers every single week and it has made a huge difference in the quality of food for their hampers,” said Debbie Posey, Okotoks community wellness manager. Recipes using community garden vegetables are also provided for food bank clients. The Okotoks Rotary Club members recently held a harvest night to pick vegetables for the food bank. It’s been a community effort at the garden, with youth providing work and enthusiasm. “For the youth it was a way to get involved and contribute to the garden and the beauty of the space,” Posey said. “They really understand the garden, and they were really keen to have their art displayed here.” For information about the community garden go to okotoks.ca. For information about the food bank go to okotoksfoodbank.ca
