Summer interns bring new life to senior center landscaping.

CONROE, TX -- Conroe Parks and Recreation's summer Interns Lidia Perez and Madilyn Bullock initiated a project to bring new life to the Conroe Senior Center landscaping, rejuvenate the backside of the Senior Center. During their initial tour of parks and recreation facilities, Lidia and Madilyn couldn't help but notice the outside of the Senior Center needed to reflect the personality of the inside, which was vibrant, active, and full of exciting activities. Due to its position, the north-facing side of the Senior Center is shaded most of the day, creating a void where sunlight can't reach the grass, vegetation, and greenery found around other facilities. The intern's first impression of the facility was uninspiring and utterly different from the environment found on the inside.

"During our initial tour, we learned about the recent renovations at many parks and recreation facilities," shared Lidia Perez, a junior at Houston Christian University majoring in education. "This sparked our curiosity about what we could do for the senior center's exterior."

Conroe's Senior Center, located at 1202 Candy Cane Lane, welcomes individuals aged 60 and above to engage with their peers, socialize, and stay active in their community. The center offers a variety of daily activities and special programs, including competitive games, crafts, movie days, and bingo. In addition, guests can enjoy taking occasional breaks outside to get some fresh air and feed the friendly squirrels.

One internship requirement is to create a unique project benefitting the community. Madi and Lydia saw an opportunity to brighten up the dark side of the building.

"Previous interns chose to do one-day special events that were beneficial to the community but were short-lived. Our goal was to do something that had a positive impact for many years," says Madilyn Bullock, a Sam Houston State University senior majoring in animal science.

Both interns knew immediately that something needed to be done with the exterior landscaping around the Senior Center and knew just the person to get this project started—the Assistant Director-Park Operations, Lauren Arnold. Arnold arranged a meeting between the interns and his park operations crew members. Together, they developed a comprehensive plan that included cleaning debris, adding trees, planters, vibrant flowers, and plenty of mulch to cover the areas where grass struggled to grow. This plan would enhance the appearance of the Senior Center and create a positive environment that community members would carry inside.

A project of this magnitude presents many challenges for the team to navigate, including supplies, materials, and labor on a project without a budget. With the help of Arnold, along with John David Sapp and Michael Rodriguez (two Park Operations crew members), the team identified potential sources of donations and volunteers, including T&C Materials LLC, who donated 16 yards of Growers Soil, L&L Lumber LLC donated two, nine-foot-long planter boxes along with six, two-foot long planter boxes. Plants and flowers were donated by 1314 Nursery and Carter's Florist, Nursery, & Landscaping, totaling over $1,000 combined product donations. Additionally, 78 bags of black mulch and ten bags of beach stones were generously donated by community partners who enthusiastically support this project.

The landscaping project demanded an immense collective effort. The Northside Lions Football Team and Chikawas Dance Group selflessly dedicated over 10 hours to clearing leaf litter, old bricks, stones, and tree roots, preparing the land for the landscaping upgrade.

Lydia and Madi's experience was complex, challenging, and extremely rewarding. Many in the Parks and Recreation community, including Parks and Recreation Assistant Director Scott Perry, have praised their efforts and accomplishments.

"At the Senior Center, our main goal is to involve seniors in activities that help them build lasting friendships. Our committed staff works hard to create a warm and welcoming environment for everyone. I'm extremely proud of our Parks and Recreation summer interns for organizing this landscaping project to make the exterior as welcoming. Despite facing challenges and matching resources with solutions, the dedication put into this project made it a true community effort. It was amazing to see the project go from initial development to design to completion in just a few weeks, and the involvement of so many partners made it easy to exceed expectations." Said Perry.

The landscaping upgrades to the Senior Center will increase its vitality and provide a lasting impact for many years to come. This long-term perspective is something all visitors to the Senior Center can look forward to.