MOUNT GILEAD — Glitter, sequins and flower motifs decorated many of the 31 Pinewood Derby racing cars at the “race track” Thursday at Woodside Village Care Center.
However it was the face of a friendly bulldog painted on a resident’s car that won the hearts of the judges to place as “Best of Show.”
The afternoon was a picture perfect 75 degrees with a light breeze. Many residents came out to watch their heat in the race and stayed outside to enjoy the sunshine.
There was cheering, whooping and hollering as favorites placed in their heat. Also a lot of good-natured ribbing as a few suspected some “illegal alterations” to the winning cars.
Woodside Admissions Director Chris Willford said he and Woodside employee Rob Rayle were thinking of ideas to raise spirits and have a little fun when they got the idea of the Pinewood Derby. Both had experience with a pinewood derby when they were in Boy Scouts.
The Woodside staff found pinewood car kits and Willford built the track. Staff members worked with residents to assemble the cars and paint or decorate them.
“We worked on the cars step-by-step over two or three weeks,” Willford said.
Willford thanked hospice sponsors that provided the food for a special picnic menu including: Hospice of Morrow County, Kindred Hospice and Capital City Hospice. Judges were Travis Tracy of Kindred Hospice and Howie Kiner with Capital City Hospice.
Rayle said that Woodside is still not having people in from the outside except for employees and end-of-life residents’ families. Willford said there have been no cases of the coronavirus at Woodside Village Care Center.
As residents and staff went back inside, there was a lot of laughter and everyone agreed that the Pinewood Derby was a really uplifting and special treat after months with COVID-19.
