The final product is a 15-panel mosaic consisting of nearly 500 pieces of boardwalk planks painted by members of the community. About 30 to 40 wood pieces were puzzled together in each panel, and in the middle of each section is a word— like resilient, inspire or community—that ties together a theme for all of the pieces shown in that part of the mural. The mural also incorporated other pieces of the old boardwalk, like nails and railings, in the final product.

The city will be holding its own Sandy remembrance ceremony in Kennedy Plaza on Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. featuring a live musical performance by Joey Horowitz. Stars of Hope, provided by Long Beach Community Organizations Active in Disasters, will line the Kennedy Plaza Fountain and be distributed to the public. The city has also been promoting the #LBNYStrong social media campaign to allow residents to share what Long Beach means to them three years after the storm.

The community has been remembering in its own way the past week, and even before last Sunday afternoon’s official unveiling of the “Home Sweet Home” mural, Creed Aly had already received positive reactions to the mosaic. She said that people have said that coming across the piece on the boardwalk stopped them in their tracks and brought them so much joy.

“That’s so rewarding for me, and that’s what this was about,” Creed Aly said. “You can’t pass it and not smile.”