ADRIAN -- Rooms inside the Arnold Memorial Health Care Center are getting fresh looks thanks to the efforts of several volunteers.
Eight of the facility's 22 rooms were on track to have fresh paint on the walls by late Wednesday, and work is expected to continue on Friday. All 22 rooms will eventually be painted, and new borders for the walls also are planned.
Carole Shorter, of Adrian, has had an important role in making the project happen.
"Fate made it impossible for me to continue at my job at this time, but I have a lot of ambition," said Shorter, who was painting a previously white wall light blue on Wednesday alongside her husband, Don. "My daughter Lynette told me to give Cheryl Reisdorfer (activity director) a call to see if she ever needed some help."
That led to Shorter volunteering in the Arnold Memorial Health Care Center office. Later, over the course of conversation, it was decided that all the residents' rooms needed repainting.
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"I said it shouldn't be hard to get volunteers," Shorter said. "We had six volunteers on Monday, today (Wednesday) we have four, and we have four Friday but are looking for more. We'll decide Friday on what might happen next week."
Reisdorfer said she's pleased with the repainting effort because each resident has had a say.
"The residents get to choose their room's color," she explained. "We want things to be more like home. ... Since people don't choose to come a nursing home, we think it's important for them to have a place they feel is pleasant."
As for the borders to be added, Reisdorfer noted residents will get to choose from a farm scene, a floral/leaves scene, a rustic cabin scene and others. The goal is to get all the rooms done in time for Christmas.
"It's just one way to empower our residents to have a voice, because at this time in your life, there are so many choices made for you," Reisdorfer said.
Viola Honermann, a resident of the facility since Jan. 20, was pleased with the Moroccan Desert shade she chose for her wall, though she admitted, "Anything is good enough for me. I'm not fussy."
"They're really busy -- they're really working hard," Honermann added of the volunteers.
"We really appreciate all the help we've gotten" administrator Gayle Funk said. "The residents are excited and are really going to enjoy having a little color in their life."
