HARRISONBURG, VA (Rocktown Now) – Harrisonburg City Council granted a request from a group of James Madison University students to paint a mural at the Navigation Center, which serves as the city’s homeless shelter.

Penny Naden is a senior at JMU, and she is a Communications Assistant at Valley Open Doors. She told the council at Tuesday night’s meeting that the mural would brighten up the space inside the center.

“It was inspired by the Shenandoah Mountains,” said Naden. “Keeping it a little bit calming but also brightening up the space. We would have a small team of under 10 artists, all students at James Madison University, doing the labor, providing the resources.”

Naden added that the mural would be provided free of charge and will be placed in the women’s sleeping quarters.