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• "This community is so rich with cultural diversity, and now we're going to start painting," Lowenstein said to kick off the event.
• The design was prepared by Lowenstein, assistant Ashley Laird and intern Nate Buchholz.
• Whittier social studies teacher Lela Himmerich helped launch the project in 2011 when she asked her students for suggestions to spruce up the park and help the community. It is "absolutely the most diverse" neighborhood in the city, she said.
• "Whittier neighborhood is not a large neighborhood because as you are in the core of the city, it's very compact," Himmerich said. "Given the size of the neighborhood and the fact that there's over 60 languages in this neighborhood, it's been called the Ellis Island of the Plains."
• The next goal, Himmerich said, is to raise money for lights to help illuminate the artwork at night.
• One of the volunteer painters, Joan Swenson, brought her children with her so they could leave their mark on the mural.
• "What a great thing for a neighborhood to spruce it up and connect with the people," Swenson said. "I think it's just really important to come and participate as a family; to go out and be part of the neighborhood."
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