Members of the Eastern Star Chapter 116 of Hurricane recently helped spruce up the courtyard at the Genesis Putnam Center, which is located behind Teays CAMC. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the residents of the nursing home were not allowed in the courtyard for over a year. Over time, COVID restrictions have lessened, and the courtyard was reopened in May.

Sandy Payne, who is both a bus driver for Genesis Putnam Center as well as a member of the Hurricane Eastern Star, proposed the idea of a beautification project for the courtyard. The facility administrator, Michael Herald, approved her idea, and on Saturday, May 22, volunteers with the Eastern Star began the first phase of the project.

The volunteers did a little bit of everything, from cleaning up the courtyard, trimming shrubbery, raking leaves, and painting furniture. The Eastern Star plans to return to Genesis Center to do more work, as well as hang up potted plants and plant flowers.

The residents of the Genesis Center are very glad to be able to have access to the courtyard again. Because the elderly and disabled are very susceptible to the coronavirus, hospitals and nursing homes incorporated strict measures to prevent the spread of the virus.

The Eastern Star is an organization that is devoted to charity work and community service projects.