Local teens brighten atmosphere for nursing home residents with a little paint and a lot of smiles
Several Breckenridge girls got a break from the boredom of having to stay at home while also getting the chance to do something nice for local nursing home residents on Tuesday when they painted flowers on the outside of the windows at Villa Haven Health and Rehabilitation Center.
Kayla Wood paints flowers on a window at Villa Haven on Tuesday afternoon. (Photo by Tony Pilkington / Breckenridge Texan)
Shonda Wood, the mother of one of the girls, said the idea came about when her friend Dianne Cramer, who is the activity director at Villa Haven, contacted her and asked her if her daughter, Kayla, might know some girls who could come and paint the windows since the residents aren’t able to have visitors right now due to the coronavirus threat.
“It’s just kind of something to brighten their day when they look out their windows and maybe interact with (the girls) through the windows when they are painting,” Wood said. “We’re just glad to do that.”
She said while most of the girls attend First Baptist Church together, they are mostly just friends of her daughter that she knew would be responsible and do a good job. All the girls are from Breckenridge and are in high school or junior high.
Wood said she thought painting the windows was a good cause for the girls to get out and do something for the community. She said another thing she liked about the project was that the windows were far enough apart so the girls could stay away from each other for social distancing and be safe while they were painting.
Caroline Turner helps brighten the scenery for Villa Haven residents. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Caroline Turner said working on the project was special for her because her Nana is a resident at the facility and she gets to have some interaction through the window.
“It’s definitely been nice to get out of the house, because it’s no fun staying at home all day,” she said.
Avery Rodgers said she was glad to come out and work on the project because she hasn’t been able to do much at home except help out with chores.
“I love doing things for people in the nursing homes because they don’t get a lot of interaction, and I think it’s great that we get to come out here and do this for them,” she said.
Alexis Navarro said the thinks the windows will make the residents happier when they look out the windows.
“I know this will make them happier since they can’t have visitors. It’ll bring a little light to their day,” Navarro said. “I hope it brings them happiness.”
Bethany Boone shared some of her “live, laugh, love” spirit with the Villa Haven residents. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/ Breckenridge Texan)
Seventh grader Zaea Ragle said it felt really good to get out of the house and paint the windows.
“It feels really good,” she said. “One, to just get out of the house, also to be able to do this for these people.”
Kayla Wood said painting and being able to come out and do something special for the residents gave her a special feeling, too.
“It’s really nice, you know, because they’re stuck here and don’t really have much to do, so they get to see something nice,” she said. “And I think it’s good for them to see people.”
Bethany Boone said she was glad to break the boredom of staying at home and to get to do something nice for the residents.
“Because they (residents) don’t have visitors during this time…it’s just something for them to look out the windows and think happy thoughts that kids did this for them,” she said.
For her, the words she painted on one window said it all “live, laugh, love.”
Zaea Ragle decorates a window at Villa Haven on Tuesday. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Alexis Navarro shows off some of her handiwork at Villa Haven on Tuesday afternoon. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
The window-painting project allowed the girls to get out of their houses and brighten the atmosphere at Villa Haven while still practicing “social distancing,” which is important during the current coronavirus situation. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
Kayla Wood shows off one of her finished windows at Villa Haven on Tuesday afternoon. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/ Breckenridge Texan)
Story by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan
Cutline, top photo: Avery Rodgers, left, and Caroline Turner paint flowers on the windows at Villa Haven Health and Rehabilitation Center on Tuesday afternoon. The six girls who participated in the project were able to practice “social distancing” while cheering up the residents, who can’t have visitors now due to the coronavirus threat. (Photo by Tony Pilkington/Breckenridge Texan)
