Sweetwater Festival rocks downtown

Sara Fleetwood, a native of Moultrie, Ga., and a senior art major, is no exception. She spent her time at the Sweetwater Festival painting a mural for Oconee Regional Medical Center.

Looking dressed for the part, Fleetwood dressed in denim overalls, splattered in paint. Her braided pigtails included a navy blue bandana.

Fleetwood says she was contacted to create the mural for the children’s ward by the medical center. The mural, upon completion, will have a large tree with children’s handprints for the leaves.

“I wanted to create something kids could have fun with easily be involved in. Trees remind people of the outdoors, and really, no one wants to look at white walls,” Fleetwood said.

Children in attendance at the festival lent a literal hand to Fleetwood. Fleetwood aided each child to put on a white smock, white vinyl gloves and chose a color to dip their hands. After the children chose a color, they pressed their hands onto the painting and grinned after a satisfying result. All the while, Fleetwood looked on with a bright and contagious smile.

Fleetwood’s work with children doesn’t end at festivals. Upon graduation, she plans to go to the country of Zambia. There she hopes to help children who, as she put it, “need a lot of love.” She hopes to get involved with the group “Make a Difference Now.” According to Fleetwood, the group sets up operations for host families who give children daily routines they may have been missing. Fleetwood plans to use her own talents with art to color and paint with children in Zambia and possibly make some sculptures.

Fleetwood expressed her love for helping others, particularly children.

“I have a special place for people who find themselves in situations that are beyond their control,” said Fleetwood.
She explained that she believes people have an innate right to be happy.

“If we all stopped to help one another, this world would be a much happier place.”