OSMOND — The Osmond Senior Center recently got a facelift, with a new window, a fresh paint job on the sign, and a new bench in front of the center.
Senior center member Wes Kumm explained that, the whole thing came about when Theresa Rice, one of the members of the senior citizens group, passed away. The family had memorial money, and Theresa had always wanted to put a new bench in front to replace the old wooden one that used to be there. The old bench had deteriorated and was removed several years ago, but a new one was never purchased to replace it, so the memorial money was used for that purpose. Above the windows, the paint was peeling and there were different ideas for what to do about it. Wes said he spoke with Adam Rice of Rices Rides to see what kind of material had been used for the sign. Adam said it was just paint behind the black lettering.
“He said he had the paint, and was always going to do it, but he's pretty busy, you know,” Wes explained.
So Wes went to talk to Adam recently and was going to get the paint for someone to get it done, and Adam told him he had the paint there and would just come down right away and get it painted.
The letters themselves were the ones that were above the senior center when it was in the original building across the street, and were put back after the background was painted. Wes made a point to give thanks to the Sons of the American Legion who had helped move the senior citizens to the new building in 2016.
“If it weren't for the Sons, we would have never gotten moved over!” he said.
As far as the bench, Adam Rice called Wes recently and said he had the bench and asked if it was okay to put it in front of the senior center. Wes told him “That's what it was made for, so let's put it there.”
One of the front windows was also replaced recently. The window had a crack in it, but the senior center didn't have the money to replace it. Chris Adamson and Deb Schmit, the women who decorate the front windows, got a grant through Pierce County Visitors Bureau. Between that and some generous donors, Wes said, the window was replaced and paid for.
“That's where I really have to hand it to the people of Osmond,” Wes said. “Where the needs be, why, they donate to it.”
Then after they got the window in, the air conditioner went out, and the senior center's funds were depleted. But Wes said they talked to Bert Wattier who said he would see what he could do. After Bert looked at it, he said it was “a mess.” To replace an air conditioner is pretty expensive, Wes said, but Bert got it fixed for them.
“Between all them guys, nobody wants any credit for it,” Wes said. But he added that “someone baked a pan of rolls and took it to Adam to thank him for his part in it.”
Wes made a point of thanking all those who had a hand in getting the front of the Osmond Senior Center looking great.
