Westmont senior living facility lets residents paint ceramic dogs

WESTMONT – Cordia Senior Residence in Westmont has gone to the dogs thanks to a new art program.

Cordia recently held its first Dog Days of Summer program, which allows residents the opportunity to paint ceramic dogs.

Teresa Rogala, executive director of the Cordia Senior Living, said they try to do a dog-themed project every August and decided to take a different approach this year. The program is modeled after the Cows on Parade program, where painted cows were displayed across the city of Chicago.

Rogala started the program in July with 16 ceramic dogs. But the response has been overwhelming, and she’s had to get more than 40 to keep up with the demand.

“Residents started coming down in droves,” she said. “We didn’t think this was ever going to happen. They did a beautiful job.”

Cordia also had help from Gannon Siran, a student at Westmont High School, with art techniques to make the dogs look more realistic.

Katie Sullivan, program director at Cordia, said this program allowed residents to paint dogs that had been important in their lives.

“It was just amazing to hear the stories that were going around,” Sullivan said.

The best story she heard from the program was from a former firefighter who painted a dog to look like his old firehouse dog. Many residents painted dogs that reminded them of childhood pets, while others were painted in wild, unique colors, she said.

Rogala said they are waiting for a few more dogs to be painted. After that, the dogs will be displayed around the facility for visitors to see.

The residents will get to keep the dogs they painted after they are displayed, Sullivan said.

Residents enjoyed the program, Rogala said, and she hopes to continue something like this in the future.

“I sure do want to [do this kind of project again]. I just don’t know what it’ll be,” she said. “It’s going to be hard to top this one, because it was just such a great success.”

Cordia is having a contest on its Facebook page to allow people to vote for their favorite dogs. To vote, go to www.facebook.com/cordiaseniorliving.