Peering out the window earlier this year during a staff meeting, officials at Luther Manor Retirement & Nursing Center in Hannibal, MO, noticed that their courtyard could use some TLC.
That’s when they decided to launch “operation courtyard makeover” to bring the space back to life in a way that was resident-friendly, said Mandy Taylor, human resources director for the facility.
They launched a fundraising drive and have gathered more than $500 in cash for the project, purchasing everything from mulch to flowers, benches and birdhouses. A local artist has volunteered to paint a mural, which was selected by residents from three different designs.
Community members plan to gather Saturday to get to work on the yard, which hasn’t been tended to in years because of budgetary and staffing shortages.
“That’s why we wanted to make it all on a donation basis. That’s when the community really started coming forward, even the families of our residents here,” Taylor told McKnight’s.
For her, the lesson is “just use your resources” and anything can be accomplished. “If you’re doing something for a good cause, your community is going to get involved,” she said.
For more on the project, watch this report from the local TV station.
