Wednesday, December 5, 2001

Demand increases for World Trade Center mural

Part of proceeds being donated to Red Cross

The human toll of the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon has been overwhelming not only in the two cities directly affected, but across the nation.

As the world mourns the loss of life and braces for what could be a long-lasting battle against those responsible for the attacks, a different kind of casualty is emerging.

"I was in New York City one month after the attack," says Louise Griffith, a licensed psychologist based in Lakeville, Minn. "Photos and detailed descriptions of the missing line blocks and blocks of storefronts along the streets. There are candles, flowers, rosaries and cards everywhere. To say it's overwhelming doesn't begin to convey what it's like," she says.

"You hear people talk about how this has affected them. Some say that they don't believe they'll ever feel safe again and want to leave, but others say that New York City is their home no matter what and they're not budging," Griffith says. "Images of the city before the attack can provide a link to home as they knew it, and can be very comforting."

"The New York City skyline will never be the same as it was before Sept. 11," says Todd Imholte, president of Environmental Graphics in Hopkins, Minn. "This fact seems to be striking a chord with Americans, because sales of our wall mural featuring the skyline Manhattan Lights have increased ten times since the attack. People love New York, and want to remember it as it was," he says.

The increase in sales has apparently come about from word of mouth. "We've done no advertising of the mural and yet have seen this incredible increase in demand," Imholte says. "In response to this, Environmental Graphics has decided to donate a percentage of the sales of the Manhattan Lights mural to the Red Cross to help victims of the attack," he says. "So far, we've contributed more than $10,000."

"I think this kind of response shows that people have begun to make the shift from shock and numbness to taking action and trying to help," says Griffith.

Griffith believes the mural of the New York City skyline as it was before the attack evokes strong feelings of home and comfort for many especially New Yorkers. But she also explained why she believes the New York City mural is so popular all across the country.

"The nation as a whole is in a time of transition right now: We know that things are not the same as they were, but we're not sure exactly what the future will look like yet," she says. "But the 'old' image of New York City can provide hope. We know things won't be the same, but because we're Americans, because we all value freedom and we've united during this crisis, we know there will be a re-birth, that the city will be rebuilt in some form."

The Manhattan Lights mural is approximately 8 feet high and 13 feet long, and comes in eight easy-to-apply panels. The twin towers of the World Trade Center and New York's financial district are prominently featured. To view the mural or to order, visit www.primoproducts.com. For information on coping with the psychological aftermath of the attack, contact Louise Griffith at (952) 435-5656 or at louise@oneshininglight.com.

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