By RODNEY HART

Herald-Whig Staff Writer

Gail McCauslin and her Quincy Supportive Living for Seniors residents have been in a rather puzzling situation the past two months at the Quincy Senior and Family Resource Center.

But they've connected enough pieces to help build the "World's Largest Jigsaw Puzzle." Senior citizens from four supportive living communities throughout the state are completing a 24,000-piece work of art called "Life: The Greatest Challenge."

When completed, the massive puzzle will be prominently displayed at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield in recognition of Supportive Living Week, April 28 to May 2.

"When it arrived, I wondered what had I got myself into," said McCauslin, manager of Quincy Supportive Living for Seniors. "So I just kept telling people that every piece we put in was one less piece we'd have to do."

Quincy Supportive Living for Seniors is on the third through fifth floors of the Quincy Senior and Family Resource Center, 639 York. About 60 seniors live in the 57-apartment facility.

In addition to the Quincy puzzle-solvers, seniors from Cambridge House of Maryville, Brookstone Estates in Paris and Victory Center of Bartlett are participating.

The seniors in each community are responsible for one of four sections of the enormous puzzle. When the four sections are mounted together, it will measure 14 feet wide and 5 feet tall.

Quincy seniors are putting together a 6,000-piece side that measures 5 feet tall and 3 1/2 feet wide.

"Just plugging along," said resident Colleen Aikman, who was patiently trying to fit pieces Tuesday afternoon. Fewer than 100 pieces remained, and residents were hopeful it would be done today.

About 15 residents participated in putting the puzzle together in the fifth-floor atrium of Quincy Supportive Living for Seniors. They used a pingpong table, the only surface large enough for the puzzle section.

The last piece was inserted at 5:15 p.m. Tuesdsay, and there was a sense of accomplishment -- and relief -- from residents and staff.

"We'll be glad when it's done," employee Jesse Icenogle said at about 3 p.m.

The puzzle shows animals rushing toward a large body of water. Quincy seniors had to put together sky, water, animals and balloons.

The seniors have worked on it for nearly two months. They sorted the puzzle by colors and worked on the border first.

McCauslin and Lynn Niewohner, director of the West Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging, came up with themes to make putting together the puzzle fun. One day was "March Madness," another was "chocolate-covered raisin day." They had treats to correspond with each special day.

The puzzle will be glued and mounted, then carefully moved to Springfield to join the other three pieces.

Made in Spain, the puzzle actually is touted as the world's largest.

Supportive Living officials decided the puzzle should honor Illinois' supportive living program, offered at 92 locations throughout the state.

-- rhart@whig.com/221-3370