When Ford announced its decision to build BlueOval City in Stanton, Tennessee, it was huge news in Haywood County, a rural area with a population under 18,000.  In fact, an article in the local paper said, “It’s hard to imagine the impact or if there has ever been anything more important to the lives of Haywood Countians.”

“Everybody’s talking about BlueOval City coming to town,” said Diane Hooper, executive director of the Sugar Creek Senior Living Community, an assisted living facility in Brownsville, Tenn.  “It’s a big deal.”

It’s such a big deal that Sugar Creek’s annual calendar – traditionally a very creative project – is devoted to the “Blue Oval.”  Photos for each month feature models from Sugar Creek, all between the ages of 77 and 97, either posing with a vintage Ford vehicle, dressed in Ford blue or wearing clothing with the Ford logo.     

For example, there’s Mary, 83, and Bobby, 86, cozying up behind the wheel of a red F-150 pickup from the 90s; Richard, 80, modeling with a white 2000 Ford F-150 SVT Lightning; and Betty, 86, Bonnie, 82, Joyce, 86, and Marie, 77, beaming in a red 1961 Ford Galaxie convertible.

“They had a lot of fun,” said Hooper, referring to the 15 seniors who participated in the photo shoot at a variety of scenic locations throughout Haywood County.  “It brought back memories for them seeing those vehicles, and they were tickled to be in the calendar.”

Hooper said shooting the photos gave the Sugar Creek residents an opportunity to do something fun and different from their normal routines.

“For the January photo, one our ladies dressed up in a beautiful ‘Ford blue’ dress and hat, and two of our men wore black dinner jackets with blue vests and blue bow ties,” she said.  “When we were making the picture, they were just laughing and cutting up. They were just happy.”

Hooper said the project took a bit of planning, “just getting the residents in and out and working around who is more able physically to get from Point A to Point B.”

“But they laughed, and we laughed, and we all had a good time,” she said.  “And then when the calendars came out with their pictures in it, their families were thrilled.”

In the August photo Sugar Creek residents Acoljan, 94, and Alice, 86, are dressed in Ford sweatshirts holding up copies of the Sept. 28 Brownsville Times with the headline, “We Won.”  Hooper said it was a monumental day for her small town.

“The people were waiting to see if we were going to be chosen (by Ford),” she said.  “We’re excited about the growth it will bring to our town and the surrounding area and job opportunities for people.”

Gathering up the classic Fords took some work, but Hooper started in her own backyard.

“We’re a Ford family.  Have been for years.  My husband has several older Ford pickups that he restores.  He finds them from different people, works on them and gets them running,” she said.  “I’m also thankful for all the Ford owners who were so gracious to bring us their vehicles or allow us to come to their shops.  They were so nice to do that.”

Hooper printed 100 copies of the calendar.  The residents each received a copy.  The rest were either sold to the residents’ families to raise funds for Sugar Creek or distributed to local business as marketing tools for the facility.