During trying times, it is important to unite as a community and lend a hand wherever possible.
Jennifer Danner understands the importance of this concept, which is why she decided to get together some paintings to distribute to the residents at the Life Care Center of Copper Basin.
“I was trying to figure out a way that we could brighten their lives,” Danner said.
She said she has “always had a heart for the elderly,” and in the past, she has donated a few paintings to the facility, but never anything of this scale.
It is important to keep in mind those “we don’t see on a regular basis” and “sometimes those are the people that are often forgotten,” she added.
An artist herself, and knowing others who are, she took to Facebook to ask if anyone would be willing to create some unique paintings.
A flood of responses, with people willing to help, came flowing in to Danner.
“I have a passion for art, and it’s just beautiful to see community coming together in that way and contributing through the world of art,” she said.
After speaking with Helen Whitener, the Life Care Center’s activities coordinator, Danner began collecting word find books and other related activities to donate in addition to the paintings.
“We had young and old and professional artists and people who had never painted, and just everybody pitched in,” she remarked. “We ended up with well over the amount we needed for each patient to have a painting in their room.”
She said parents and children and grandparents and grandchildren took to the canvas as well.
“One (lady) said she’s never painted before, and now she’s got people wanting to buy her paintings,” Danner said. “It’s like the gift that keeps on giving.”
Not allowed to personally deliver the gifts, Danner set them up outside the facility, on the porch. She added that she made sure to “quarantine” everything for over two weeks and disinfected them before sending them to the facility.
“I’ve heard a couple of people have, you know, messaged or have posted on Facebook that their parent was one of the ones that received them,” she said. “One lady said that’s all her mom talked about while they chatted on the phone, so it was very exciting and encouraging. The whole mission was to help brighten up some lonely lives, and it was actually doing the job, so it was really cool.”
Danner encourages people to reach out to others in any way possible during this time.
“Use their talents and skills and desires even if they feel like it won’t help people. I guarantee there’s a way that it can,” Danner said. “If they’ll just reach out and do it, it could really bless people’s lives ... You never know how that seed will develop.”