Canutillo district announces crowd funding effort for mural
It’s a story that’s gained national attention.
The controversial mural of an American flag at a Canutillo elementary school under construction.
The developer, Hunt communities objected to a flag-like mural painted on the side of the new Reyes Elementary School, saying it didn’t meet the color requirements of the neighborhood.
It was painted over.
After months of disagreements between the developer and the Canutillo School District the flag will be painted again.
Thursday afternoon the district announced “Operation Paint it Back.”
“We’re feeling so happy. We’re feeling like there’s hope,” said Board President Laure Searls.
Searls stands alongside former Congressman Sylvestre Reyes and combat veteran Vince Vargas.
The announcement of the crowd funding project “Operation Paint it Back” is an exiting day for the group.
“This is important for those of us who are veterans,” said Reyes, who the school is being named after.
Reyes said the months of controversy isn’t just about a painting.
“It is a culmination of all the sacrifices not just that we made but that are being made today by men and women in our military,” said Reyes.
This year the school painted a sample of the flag.
Hunt Communities, the developer of the area, told the district it didn’t meet the color scheme of the neighborhood and made the district paint over the flag.
For combat veterans like Vargas it was an insult.
“It was a slap in the face. I almost felt I was being disrespected personally,” said Vargas.
With approval from area residents the flag was allowed to be painted but the problem now is that the district didn’t appropriate funds to repaint the flag when the projects budget was established in 2011.
Now the district is looking for the communities help to fund the $50,000 mural.
Vargas a military clothing line co-owner has more than 300,000 followers on social media through several outlets.
He tells ABC-7 he wants to use his social media power to get donations.
“We don’t have to shy away from being American anymore we shouldn’t have to shy away from being American. We should be proud of that fact because that’s who we are proud Americans,” said Vargas.
Reyes is already promising to pay $1,000 out of his own pocket and will help raise $5,000 of the $50,000 needed to pay for the flag mural’s repainting.
If you’d like to donate to the fund here’s the link
