Volunteers bring new life to daycare bathrooms with murals

(Sentinel photo by Magdalene Landegent) A gorgeous butterfly brightens the girls' bathroom at the Le Mars Day Care, thanks to the work of several volunteers. The new murals make the place more welcoming, Director Gail Konopasek says. [Click to enlarge]

Dinosaurs, the sun (wearing sunglasses) and a giant butterfly have made their home on the walls of the bathrooms at the day care.

The giant murals are a dramatic change, said Ashley Swenson, who teaches preschool at the center.

(Sentinel photo by Magdalene Landegent) Boys from the Le Mars Day Care enjoy the new dinosaurs that greet them in the newly re-painted bathroom. Rumor is they even roar at the dinosaurs now and then. [Click to enlarge]

"Before the bathrooms were kind of gloomy," she said. "We had been talking about changing them and we had a volunteer weekend coming up."

Because the non-profit center doesn't have a maintenance staff, the board members and staff volunteer their time to take care of any building needs, explained Le Mars Day Care Director Gail Konopasek.

A few volunteers and 20 hours later, the rooms emerged with a new look.

(Photo contributed) Jacqui Wells adds color to a giant butterfly on the wall of the Le Mars Day Care girls' bathroom. Wells designed murals for both the boys' and girls' bathrooms at the center and volunteers helped paint them to life. [Click to enlarge]

First they painted the walls a sunny yellow.

Then it was time to add creatures.

Jacqui Wells volunteered to create the design.

"Jacqui was our main artist," Swenson said. "She's one of my best friends -- I knew she'd be perfect for this and have fun with it."

The children at the center voted on ideas for the murals, Swenson said.

The boys' bathroom features dinosaurs stomping through tall grasses and trees. The girls' bathroom sparkles with a smiling sun and a 7-foot butterfly.

June Ferguson and Angela, Connor and Noah Watson helped Swenson and Wells with the painting Feb. 20-23. The paint was purchased through donations.

The brightened bathrooms provide more than color, Konopasek said.

Some of the children at the center are still learning to use the bathrooms, and the new murals make the rooms more welcoming.

"The kids go in and talk to the dinosaurs. We'll even hear them roar in there," said Konopasek. "They love to use the bathroom now -- sometimes it's hard to get them out."