By Stephen Smoot
Behold the humble pallet, constructed of rough planks of wood, worked like a mule to carry and haul heavy items, then cast aside when broken or no longer in use.
It takes a real visionary to turn these kinds of pallets into an artistic medium where one might need a palette, but the creativity of the staff at Pendleton Family and Senior Services saw potential.
According to Sue Slowinski, “We get pallets once a month from Mountaineer Food Bank. We’ve been collecting them for years.” With the state budget supporting senior services remaining tight, “the whole staff brainstormed about it and said ‘let’s have an art contest.’”
The contest encourages maximum creativity in using the pallet. Approximately 50 percent of the final project must include pallet wood, “but you can use as many pallets as you want in your creation,” the project flier explained. Completed projects cannot resemble the original pallet in any fashion.
Contest participants will not pay an entry fee, but submissions become the property of Pendleton County Senior and Family Services. Art projects submitted by Aug. 31 will be displayed between Sept. 1 and the Treasure Mountain Festival. People can then vote on their favorite.
The art project receiving the most votes will get a grand prize of a one night stay for two at Petersburg’s Hermitage Inn, along with dinner for two at the Taphouse. The room will have a gift basket filled with donated items from local businesses.
All art will be sold at a later event to raise needed funds for the senior center and its operations. Slowinski said that she was working with Elizabeth Scott, executive director of the Pendleton County Chamber of Commerce, on the best way to sell the projects.
For at least the past decade, senior services across the state have experienced budget crises. When the State Legislature voted to raise the minimum wage several years ago, it did not give extra support to senior services already struggling to pay staff. The recent inflation hikes, especially on food and fuel, have also forced organizational cut backs.
Slowinski explained that “we have to halt the popular ‘grab and go’ lunch program.” This allowed seniors with restrictive schedules to pick up prepared meals to take home or eat on the go. “Funds can only cover that until June 16,” she added.
“We feed vulnerable seniors, seniors who may need to make a decision between meals at the senior center and other basic necessities,” Slowinski said.
Experts also agree that seniors benefit from activities that bring them out to the centers. This helps seniors to stay more active, healthier, and allows staff to identify when some may be struggling.
Slowinski stated that proceeds from the art contest would support nutrition and transportation programs with the center.