BOWLING GREEN, Ohio — A beautification project at the Wood County Senior Center recruited the very people who would benefit from the pleasant ambiance: senior citizens.
Two years after completing the new senior center in Bowling Green, the foundation Friends of the Wood County Committee on Aging wanted to dim the exterior lighting of the south windows of the dining hall and help beautify the space.
Local glass artist Gail Christofferson was brought on board to design a mosaic window featuring the four seasons.
Christofferson recruited the help of Wood County seniors from each of the eight senior centers across the county.
"She had the blueprint under the glass and then they would put the appropriate colored glass in its place," Joe Long, President of the Friends of WCCOA, said.
After the ten panels were finished, they were installed and unveiled a few weeks ago to the pride of the people who made it.
"Any senior that took part in this throughout the county will step in here and know exactly which piece of glass they put in its place," Long said.
"Every time you look at it you think it's really pretty, and we did this," Danilda Lee said. "I worked on the corn."
The seniors who assisted in the project said they were happy to not only help beautify the new senior center but also establish a bit of a legacy for future generations to enjoy.
"There's a little bit of pride and we did it," Diane Markham said.
It makes the space even happier, too, Lee said.
"It makes it look nice. It makes you feel like you really want to be here," Lee said.
By working on the mosaic, some seniors discovered a new hobby along the way.
"Some of them weren't familiar with mosaic glass," Long said. "Now they've kind of made a commitment to pursue that on their own and they've worked with Gail Christofferson to do some of their own projects."
Joe said the next project that they're eyeballing for the senior center is adding more art inside and possibly installing some outdoor seating areas outside of the dining room.