Homemade Winter village brings joy to Westmoreland residents

Shelby Reeves, Chillicothe Gazette
·2 min read
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Eddy Templin worked on his winter village for months, creating a small town reminiscent of what he remembers when he was younger.
Eddy Templin worked on his winter village for months, creating a small town reminiscent of what he remembers when he was younger.

CHILLICOTHE— With beautiful buildings and small smiling people, miniature villages are a popular decoration this time of year. While many people receive parts of these villages from family or buy them from the store, one man at Westmoreland nursing home in Chillicothe makes his from materials he gathers all year.

Eddy Templin said he first got interested in designing and creating models when he was just 17 years old and helped build a set for a local play. Since then he has continued to create sets and miniatures, including model train sets. During 2021 he worked from March to September to collect everything and construct his current winter village. He also created a similar fall village.

"I really enjoyed doing it," said Templin.

The winter village is made predominately out of material Templin has found outside including pinecones and sticks for trees. He also used cut and painted cardboard to make the buildings, the steps and the train tracks. For things like the ice rink, Templin got creative and used a small mirror to look like ice.

The buildings are a mixture of old stores, like Royal Blue and Yellow Front, and generic places, like a barber shop and hobby store. Templin said he was inspired to model this village after the small towns he remembers from his younger days.

"It is the way I remember small towns used to be," said Templin.

One thing he was not expecting when building this village is all the recognition he has been getting. The nursing home displayed the village in a common area near the entrance of the building, allowing residents and guests to enjoy Templin's hard work. Many people, including staff, have commented on how beautiful and festive the village is and how it adds some holiday cheer to the facility.

Shelby Reeves is a reporter for the Chillicothe Gazette. You can email her at SReeves@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @Shelby_Reeves_

This article originally appeared on Chillicothe Gazette: Homemade Winter village brings joy to Westmoreland residents