There will soon be signs of hope all over downtown Winchendon

WINCHENDON — Messages of hope and positivity will soon adorn street poles throughout the downtown area.

More than 20 banners created by students and other residents are part of the Seeds of Hope project, which was created by HEAL Winchendon, a community group dedicated to improving the health and quality of life of Toy Town residents.

The project, which was open to all residents, was designed as a way to highlight the community’s strengths and hopes for the future. Participants were invited to create artwork that would share their favorite aspect of their town, and to propose ways to improve the community. The selected designs feature inspirational messages highlighting “hope,” “cooperation,” “education” and “imagination.” Other posters stress the importance of nature, community, recreation and pride.

“The impetus for the project was to hear from residents about what they love about Winchendon and what they hope for,” said Miranda Jennings, program director for HEAL Winchendon. “So, to implement that, we started contacting the schools, and then we opened it up to the whole community.”

The project was a collaborative effort between the town’s schools, Winchendon Cultural Council and Heal Winchendon, Jennings said.

Piper Herget, 10, and Ava Malcolm, 10, who are members of Girl Scout Troop 64744, designed a poster with the message “Be Kind.”

“We made this (banner) because we thought if we make a difference, it should be to be kind — and that’s a difference you can make, and maybe it starts small and then it can get bigger and bigger,” Herget said. “Maybe if people see (the banner) where a lot of people go, maybe they’ll think that’s a good thing to go with. And it would be like a virus but a good one spreading around kindness.”

Jennings said the submitted designs were reviewed by town officials and selected to represent a wide range of age groups in the community.

“It was so great going over the selections because every piece of artwork included a statement (by the artist) explaining what they loved about Winchendon and what they hoped for. It was really heartening,” she said. “A lot of it was about increasing pride and unity in town, and I think that’s what the banners will do by showcasing the greatness of this town.”

Organizers were especially pleased by the response from students who worked on their designs as part of a classroom project, Jennings said.

“It was so important to have the youth voice because they talked about things like having a skate park or a music studio or a teen center,” she said. “And if we didn’t include kids, we would never hear about these things.”

The banner campaign was funded by a two-year $10,000 seed grant from the Community Heart and Soul Project, a Vermont-based resident process aimed at creating change based on input from residents. Winchendon was the only New England community to receive a seed grant from the organization.

“Public art is a strong indicator of a vibrant, inclusive and economically strong downtown,” said Town Manager Justin Sultzbach. “This project was an excellent opportunity to honor our history while showcasing the diversity of our citizens’ hopes and dreams for a bright future in Winchendon. The town is grateful for this partnership and humbled by the opportunity to participate in the process.”

The banners are expected to be put on display in the downtown area within a few weeks, Jennings said.

HEAL Winchendon is a community project with goals centered around healthy food access, social inclusion and economic empowerment. “HEAL” stands for Hope, Empower, Access, and Live. The group was established in 2017 in response to the closure of the IGA grocery store on Central Street.