From left, Jim Gilchrist, Harrisonburg Kiwanis secretary; Gina Bondurant, Pediatric staff nurse and clinical educator; and Dawn-Marie Singleton, Harrisonburg Kiwanis president; examine the new photographic mural on display in the RMH Pediatric Unit playroom.

On Monday, June 11, RMH and the Kiwanis Club of Harrisonburg unveiled a new mural in the hospital’s Pediatric unit playroom.

The Kiwanis Club of Harrisonburg donated $1,000 to the RMH Foundation to fund the purchase and display of the mural. The photographic mural portrays a mountain farm, featuring cows, barns and open spaces. The artwork was selected because it mirrors the scenery beyond the hospital walls.

“Our mission is to ‘serve the children of the world,’” said the Rev. Dawn-Marie Singleton, Kiwanis Club of Harrisonburg president. “What better way for us to do that than support RMH and its pediatric department. We have a long history of supporting RMH because of the vital role it plays in our local community.”

The mural project began after a Pediatric unit nurse suggested something was needed to make the playroom more appealing for children. The new mural brightens the room and gives the space an out-of-doors feeling, said Gina Bondurant, staff nurse and pediatric clinical educator.

“Hospitalization can be a difficult time for anyone, but especially for children,” Bondurant said. “Play is therapeutic and provides an outlet to relieve stress and engage in normal activities. Going to the playroom allows children to have time free of medical procedures and treatments. Thanks to the generous donation by the Kiwanis Club, children hospitalized at RMH have a more inviting, friendly place to play. All who visit and work on the Pediatric unit will benefit from the beautiful mural.”

In 2011, RMH admitted more than 2,000 pediatric patients.