Mural Fund
Virginia’s first mural was funded, in part, by Minnesota’s Sesquicentennial Commission’s Grant Program, the Virginia Community Foundation, the City of Virginia, and numerous in-kind contributions from businesses. The mural, located at Chestnut Street and Second Avenue, is a fitting tribute to Hartley and Wesley Koski, who bequeathed their entire estate worth $1,050,000 to the Virginia Community Foundation. The Koski mural was installed on the corner of Chestnut Street and Second Avenue during the summer of 2008.
The second mural features Marty Biondich, a downtown icon for many years who kept the streets clean and always had a friendly grin and a kind word for downtown merchants and passersby. “Marty”, as he was fondly known by everyone in town, passed away in 2005. Donors to the project were able to have a name painted on individual baseballs incorporated within the mural. The Marty Mural is located at 519 Chestnut Street.
A third mural, a tribute to the area’s veterans, is contemplated for 2010. The mural will include the opportunity to “purchase” a star with the name of a veteran for a $50 donation or the veteran’s image with a $250 donation. To learn more about ways to honor a veteran, please contact the Foundation office at 218 749-8239.
Donors wishing to support future murals in Virginia’s downtown area may make contributions to Virginia’s Non-endowed Mural Fund. Because this is a non-endowed fund, your gift principal and earnings will be available for additional murals. If no additional murals are completed for a period of 3 years, any unexpended funds remaining will be transferred to the Downtown Revitalization Non-endowed Fund.