Jefferson City's Cultural Arts Foundation is spearheading a project to make the downtown area more beautiful while also offering a way to honor friends and family members.
The "Fountain of Hope," to be located near the corner of East High and Monroe streets in the walk-through area between Saffees and the Inglish & Monaco Law Firm, will memorialize loved ones lost to cancer in a custom-designed water fountain feature.
"One thing we have been feeling strongly about is that Jefferson City would certainly benefit from more public outdoor art installations, and water is one of those that can be done artistically," said Lucia Kincheloe, Cultural Arts Foundation chair.
The fountain has been designed by local architect Cary Gampher, and local glass artist Andrea Cleeton will decorate the wall behind the fountain with glass tiles featuring ribbons colored to denote the type of cancer suffered by the person it represents - like pink for breast cancer. The Cultural Arts Foundation will sell the tiles for $100 each, and begin construction after the first 100 have been sold - potentially by this summer. Their goal is to sell at least 250 tiles.
The walk-through area, originally planned to connect High Street with additional parking, currently holds some landscaping and a couple of benches. The foundation will fund the fountain's construction and negotiate a lease with the city to address long-term maintenance responsibilities.
"It's ideally positioned for someone to come and experience the fountain and kind of share a personal moment or memory of the person that they are memorializing through the purchase of one of their tiles," Kincheloe said. "It would just be a nice place to come and sit and reflect, and for downtown shoppers and tourists just to come and have a moment to get in the shade and get off their feet for a minute or two."
The owners of Saffees clothing store, whose outside wall the fountain will be built against, have agreed to fund the cost of water and electricity for the lifetime of the fountain as a way to honor their mother, Lorraine Mercurio, as a long-time downtown business owner.
Additionally, Freeman Mortuary, Millard Family Funeral Home and oncologist Dr. Tamera Hopkins will sponsor the project. The Community Breast Care Project and Cole County chapter of the American Cancer Society will partner with the foundation as well.
Kincheloe said she got the idea to create a cancer memorial in conjunction with a restful outdoor area after visiting Cancer Survivors Park in Palm Springs, California.
"It's unfortunate that cancer is touching so many lives," she said.
The Cultural Arts Foundation will officially launch Fountain of Hope tile sales at the Community Breast Care Project's Mother's Day 5K on May 9 at the North JC Pavilion. Tile order forms will be available at local doctors' offices and downtown businesses. To order a tile before that time, call 338-8800.