Derrick Miller
DUNCAN — When walking the sidewalks of Main Street in Duncan, a familiar scene appears. Many of the windows display recognizable color combinations and fun characters, who trigger childhood memories.
Thursday and Friday, students from the Red River Technology Center chapter of Health Occupations Students of America showed up on Main Street to paint pictures inspired by the board game, Candyland. Some of the windows contained squares representing the road from the game. These were tied with several of the game’s characters.
The Candyland design on Main Street ties in with this year’s Christmas parade theme. The idea of tying the store windows in with the theme was something the Main Street Duncan program instituted last year.
But the number of Main Street businesses and members taking advantage of the opportunity was vastly higher this year. Only three business, including the Main Street Duncan office, had their windows painted last year.
This year, 13 businesses asked to have their windows painted to keep in step with this year’s theme. Two of those members, including PRN Print Shop, don’t even sit on Main Street.
Tammy Johnson, Main Street Duncan director, said the idea of painting windows was originally going to be the businesses’ responsibility. But many of the shop owners, who liked the idea, didn’t have the crew or the time to do it.
Johnson said she set out trying to find an organization willing to paint the windows as a community service project. Last year, HOSA answered her plea.
The window paintings benefit several groups, she said. It starts setting the mood for the upcoming Main Street programs, including the Holiday Stroll and the Christmas parade. It heightens the aesthetic appeal of the street during the holiday season. It gives the HOSA students a sense of accomplishment, while getting them ready to help others.
By lending aid to the community service project, the students are learning what it takes to help someone else, which is a trait necessary to be a nurse.
Three first-year RRTC nursing students, Hollie Savage, Jeana Hall and Kamran Jones, stayed all day Thursday and returned Friday to help with painting. They said they enjoyed getting to paint and to be creative.
“I love it,” Savage said. “It’s fun. It breaks up the monotony.”
Jones said helping with the service project also gives the HOSA members an outlet when dealing with their stress. It actually puts those stressing issues on the back burner, while the students focus on something more enjoyable.
Plus, it gives students a chance to get out of school for a while, which helps freshen up the lessons.
“It kind of get you mind off things,” she said.
The three students said they grew up playing Candyland, which is a game they enjoyed. They said they had discussions in class on what they were going to paint.
As they painted, their ideas started coming together.
Savage said everyone was excited to do the service project.
“We get to give back,” she said. “It’s something to do for the community.”
