Fort Madison area Paint-A-Thon
WHERE
WHEN
The Paint-A-Thon has proven to be successful in other communities and we want to bring that success to Fort Madison but will need the public’s help to pull it off. The dates have been set: week of April 22 with Saturday April 27, 2019 as the “paint day”. During the week of April 22nd, leading up to the “Paint Day”, teams will prep the house and start painting as soon as prep work is complete. Volunteers will then gather for finishing touches on Saturday, April 27th.
NOW is the time we start seeking homeowners to fill out the application so we can make sure they fit within the guidelines outlined on the application. Applications can be found at Kempker True Value & Rental, Inc, Fort Madison Partners, Community Action, United Way, Fort Madison Library and City of Fort Madison. Our goal will be 2 or 3 qualifying homes depending on volunteers. Rain Date will be May 6-11, 2019 as time allows for volunteers and homeowner(s).
WHAT IS “PAINT-A-THON”?
The Paint-A-Thon is an event in which volunteer groups paint the homes (owner occupied) of low-income Individuals living in the city limits of Fort Madison. This event allows homeowners with financial and physical limitations to have their homes painted free of cost so they can use their income to cover other important costs, such as medication, groceries and utility bills. Residents will apply to have the exterior of their homes painted, then volunteer groups from civic groups, churches and businesses lend a helping hand to paint, and local businesses and residents donate supplies.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
1. The Home: Owner- occupied, single or small 1 ½ story in need of paint, located within the city limits of Fort Madison.
2. The Homeowner: Individuals over the age of 60, or disabled, single parents or veterans, with limited income, unable to afford commercial paint job, showing a desire to maintain the appearance of the house.
3. Volunteers will prep and paint homes the week of April 22-26th and complete and finishing touches on the home Saturday the 27th, using paint supplied by Kempker’s True Value and Rental, Inc.
Who Can Volunteer?
The Paint-A-Thon is a major volunteer event. It takes 15 to 30 people per house to paint a home and one volunteer leader. Volunteers will need to be available at some point during the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. throughout prep week leading up to the 27th. Volunteers must be at least 16 years old (parental/guardian signature on waiver required) to be a part of a team and willing to put in the work to get the house painted. Waivers will need to be signed by all volunteers. Teams of volunteers are needed from businesses, churches, schools, industry, social service and civic groups, etc. We will need a “Team Leader” to be a contact that can then pass information along to their volunteers (teammates) and help prepare for the home selection process. We will be looking for people who can crawl up ladders (if needed) and able to stand for long periods of time during this process. All are welcome to participate but the team leader will be responsible for delegating the tasks to those team members. This project is great for anyone looking for an opportunity to help out others in the community. If your group is interested in volunteering, contact Fort Madison Partners via email at tgobble@fortmadison.com.
What Happens?
Once Community Action has qualified the house(s) and they have been inspected, a team of volunteers from the community will be assigned to scrape, prime and paint each house. Homes are painted throughout the week of April 22-27th- work times will be set by the team leader. Team leaders will coordinate with their team to visit the home during the week of April 22-27th prior to do any prep work such as: scrape peeling paint, caulking and spot priming. On Saturday the 27th, teams are expected to all meet in the morning and complete any finishing touches. We will also take a picture to show off your work.
Fort Madison Partners is currently looking for sponsorships to offset the incidental costs of brushes, drop clothes, water, etc. These sponsorships will be promoted through volunteer t-shirts, media and social media outlets. Kempker’s True Value & Rental, Inc. has once again agreed to supply all the paint that is used and Community Action will help choose the houses to be painted; doing small repairs on the houses if necessary. There are still a few sponsorship opportunities available, so give us a call. Monetary donation will also be accepted.
Volunteers will be needed from many community organizations, businesses, industries and citizens to help paint with their “team”. This community beautification effort is a great way to help those who qualify to maintain their property (therefore helping your property values), increase energy efficiency, beautify the community and lend a helping hand to someone that may not be able to do it on their own. The Paint-a-Thon is a collaborative effort between Community Action of Southeast Iowa, Kempker’s True Value & Rental, Inc and Fort Madison Partners. This is a partnership venture to get something started for the betterment of Fort Madison.
For more information on how to get involved, please call the Partners office at 319-372-5471!
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For additional information about this press release, please contact:
Tim Gobble
Fort Madison Partners
319-372-5471
