New flags top off Othello Senior Center beautification project
Chanet Stevenson/The Sun Tribune Roy Dodge, president of the Othello Senior Center, helps raise the flags on the newly refurbished flag pole Thursday. The new U.S. and Washington State flags were from the state Capitol, and were presented to Dodge by Senate Majority Leader Mark Schoesler.
Chanet Stevenson/The Sun Tribune Jamie Krueger of Caring Neighbors presents Roy Dodge of the Othello Senior Center Thursday with a $1,000 grant toward the center’s beautification project.
A brand new sign, new landscaping and a refurbished flag pole are highlights of a community effort to spruce up the entrance to the Othello Senior Center. Senate Majority Leader Mark Schoesler presented Roy Dodge, manager of the senior center, with new American and Washington State flags. Several of the individuals involved with the project are pictured here: (left to right) Jim Rogers, Senator Mark Schoesler, Roy Dodge, Jamie Krueger, Pat Simmons, E.R. Kelly, Dale Anderson from Big Bend Electric Cooperative's Caring Neighbors and Barbara Hartwig and Ann Sperl from the Othello Beautification …
OTHELLO — Senate Majority Leader Mark Schoesler presented the Othello Senior Center with new U.S. and Washington state flags from the state Capitol on Thursday.
The presentation of the flags marked the wrap-up to a beautification project that began over the summer. Throughout the project, the senior center saw changes to help increase the building's visibility and welcoming exterior. Changes include a refurbished flag pole, landscaping, a new sign, bench and flower pots.
Roy Dodge, president of the Othello Senior Center, was on hand to accept the flags from Schoesler during the presentation.
“I love them,” said Dodge of all the changes made.
He explained how the center frequently hosts special events, dinners, lunches and fundraisers for various community gatherings. The center also offers diet and exercise programs, and serves lunch every Tuesday through Friday. He expressed how everyone involved at the center works hard to prepare for each event.
“They do a wonderful job here,” Dodge said.
Prior to the presentation, Big Bend Electric Cooperative's Caring Neighbors program also awarded the Othello Senior Center with a $1,000 grant for the improvement project.
The beautification project first came about when it was noticed how tattered looking the flags outside were. That realization had a ripple effect, as other needed upgrades became apparent. It was then that community members and groups decided to get involved and help make the improvements possible.
The Othello Beautification Committee donated red flower pots, Duane Anderson of Othello's K'Ntucky Turf donated and installed new sod, and Signs Now of Moses Lake donated the center's new sign. A special thanks went to Jim Rogers for removing the overgrown trees and the center's old sign, as well as to Roger Entz for refurbishing the flag pole and Lynette Carruthers for setting up the flower pots, landscaping and staining the sign. Former Othello Mayor E.R. Kelly and Caring Neighbors were also noted for their generous monetary contributions.
“It was a group effort,” said Pat Simmons of the Adams County Development Council, who designed the Othello Senior Center's new sign. Simmons explained how the idea of the project aimed to bring attention to everything the Othello Senior Center has to offer.