THE FINISHED product is shown with Abbott’s home in the background.

MARTINS FERRY — A Martins Ferry woman painted a rainbow and words of encouragement on her Broadway Street fence to brighten people’s day, if only for a moment, during the coronavirus pandemic.

Sharon Abbott said she got the idea for the fence painting after watching a segment on the “Good Morning America” TV show. She said people featured were painting their homes’ windows in various ways to brighten people’s day.

“It took me four days. My back, feet and hands were killing me. And my dog chewed up my paint brushes,” Abbott said with a laugh.

However, all the work has been worth it to Abbott, as she has noticed people slowing down to take a look. Even while she was painting it, drivers would slow down and wave, give her a thumbs up or honk with approval. One family stopped to take their photo in front of the colorful fence.

Abbott said she always has enjoyed helping others, and the fence painting is a natural extension of that.

“I do a lot of charity work. I’m always doing something for someone,” she said, noting she is a member of the Bellaire Salvation Army’s Women’s League.

In addition to the rainbow, Abbott used stencils to paint words on the fence.. Some of the terms include “believe,” “power,” “joy,” “shine” and “care.”

“I want to make them happy for five minutes and think about something else while this is going on. … I think I’ve accomplished that,” she said.

Abbott said she is originally from Wheeling but has lived in Martins Ferry for 16 years. She moved into her current home about two years ago. It’s located on the busy southern portion of Broadway Street near the Kroger shopping plaza and the site of the future Dollar General store.

“I like it here,” she said of the Purple City.

On her Facebook page, Abbott posted photos of her fence mural with an explanation: “I thought being we are having a storm, after all this there will be a rainbow.”