St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children unveiled a vibrant new mural at its Bayside facility on May 15.
Designed by the nonprofit organization Splashes of Hope and created by artist Sandra Caracciolo, the mural is intended to enhance the atmosphere for severely ill children and their families.
This artistic enhancement has been made possible through the financial support of Maspeth Federal Savings Bank (MFS).
Under the theme “Queens A to Z,” the mural showcases local landmarks and scenes, each associated with a letter of the alphabet. This approach not only highlights the rich culture and history of Queens, but also serves an educational purpose. Designed as an interactive “I Spy” game with labels in both Spanish and English, the mural invites children, staff and visitors to engage actively with the art.
“As a community bank, our mission is always to try to help those in our community that need help and to complete this mission we need to find partners who share the same vision of helping those that are in need,” said Thomas Rudzewick, president and CEO of MFS. “St. Mary’s Children’s Hospital’s mission statement says, ‘We bring big hearts to our little patients,’ and when I read that I said … who better to partner with?”
St. Mary’s, the city’s first hospital dedicated to the care of severely ill children, continues to provide essential services to those unable to afford care. “With the help of philanthropic support from organizations like Maspeth Federal Savings, our programs and services keep thriving and enriching the daily lives of children at St. Mary’s,” said Dr. Edwin Simpser, president and CEO of St. Mary’s.
The collaboration between MFS and Splashes of Hope has a history of enhancing public spaces; previous projects include a veterans-themed mural at the Forest Hills American Legion Post #1424, as well as murals at Flushing Hospital, Elmhurst Hospital and Jamaica Hospital.
“Today marks another step towards transforming medical spaces from clinical to colorful,” said Elizabeth Schafer, art studio manager at Splashes of Hope. “It is because of your big heart that little patients will have a moment to be able to use their imagination and escape the four walls of the hospital and then enter this place of a magical world that Sandy has created in this mural.”
Sean Lally, executive vice president of St. Mary’s Healthcare System, highlighted the day’s significance. “A day like today is especially meaningful for us,” he said. “We do every single thing we can to brighten the day for our staff and our families. An installation like this is going to do that every single day for everybody that walks by.”
*Additional reporting and photos by Paul Frangipane
