Local youth artists Kim Wehrenberg and Essence Isensee designed and painted a mural that is aimed at making people at the Bluehaven Shelter more comfortable.The large-scale artwork was done at Northern Lights Drop-in Center during the months of January and February, after Servants of Shelter applied for a Shelter Beautification grant from Open Your Heart in September 2023.“We are so grateful for the opportunity to employ local youth artists to create a large-scale art piece to welcome guests to our Bluehaven Shelter,” said Ariana Daniel, executive director of Servants of Shelter of Koochiching CountyThe “Welcome to Bluehaven” mural project brought much joy and inspiration to our Drop-in Center in the darkest months, she added.The artists were inspired by Anisinaabe botanical beadwork designs and were able to incorporate words of welcome in English, Spanish, Aniishinaabe-mowin, and Ukrainian into their design.The Bluehaven Shelter houses individuals, couples and families that are experiencing homelessness, fleeing domestic violence and facing other challenges such as mental health and substance use.