http://www.flickr.com/photos/gscolorado/5697160766/in/set-72157626401597383

There’s an eye catching mural in the works at the Girl Scouts office on 400 S. Broadway in Denver. After being plagued with repeated incidents of illegal tagging on their office building, Girl Scouts of Colorado has partnered with the Denver Police Department and a group of reformed taggers the police department works with from the Gang Rescue and Support Project to create a fun, girl-friendly mural to wrap their building, dissuade taggers and illustrate and embrace the Girl Scout mission and leadership programs. The lead artist on the project is Chris “PhEud” Bernal.

Girl Scouts from the Denver area have been working with the artist on the mural for several weeks. On Saturday, May 7th, Girl Scouts with the Family Crisis Center, a residential care facility, helped work on the mural. Many of the Girl Scouts from this program have been previously involved in illegal tagging activities and were anxious to learn how they can use tagging as a hobby or possible career and make a positive impact on the community.

“This project is helping bring out my true colors,” said one of the Girl Scouts from the Family Crisis Center as she displayed her hands covered in paint from the mural project. “Girl Scouts has taught me to be more patient and creative. I would like to be an artist in the future. I’ve spray painted before, and now know how to do it in a fun, legal way. This is something I will always remember. I’m learning a lot. This mural is awesome!”

There is still several more weeks of mural painting to go. The community can keep up on the mural’s progress right here on the Girl Scouts of Colorado website as well as on Girl Scouts of Colorado’s Facebook and Twitter pages. Channel 7 (ABC, Denver/statewide) did a story on the mural project on several of their May 7th and 8th weekend newscasts, and there is a story about the project posted in the Denver Post’s YourHub. The mural is set to be unveiled to the community on June 22nd.