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Volunteers paint local home |
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Wednesday, 17 June 2009 |
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By Leslie Mielke BLACKFOOT — Blackfoot-area Zions Bank employees spent Monday and Tuesday painting the home of Blackfoot resident Kathy Wilson. This is the company’s 19th annual Paint-a-Thon service project.
 The Morning News / Leslie Mielke
In Blackfoot, Kathy Wilson’s home is being painted by Zions Bank employees as part of the company’s annual Paint-a-Thon. Paint-a-Thon Team Captain Gordon Wankier is on top of the platform.
Wilson’s husband, Norm, died Jan. 3, 2009, of lung cancer; her son, Rusty Wayland, died one month later on Feb. 3 of hepatitis C.
Kathy, age 64, has had multiple surgeries on her shoulders and neck and is a six-year survivor of cancer. She will retire at the end of July from Basic American where she has worked for 25 1/2 years.
Asked how a person’s home is selected for the Paint-a-Thon, Team Captain Gordon Wankier said, “That’s the hard part.”
“One year we called one man to see if we could paint his house,” he said. “He was actually mad at us to think he might need help.”
“This year we put an ad in the paper and received several responses,” Wankier said.
“We needed to pick one [house] that isn’t too hard, isn’t too big and isn’t too complicated,” Wankier said.
“Remember we are bankers and not experts here,” he said.
“And the person can’t be a whiner,” Wankier said, “and not too critical.”
Asked if the painting job would be completed on Tuesday, Wankier said, “It kind of depends on the weather; Kathy [the owner of the house] certainly hopes we finish the job.”
In addition to painting, Zions employees provide yard clean-up, pruning, mowing, planting and minor repairs as needed by homeowners. The cost for all paint and supplies is contributed by Zions Bank.
The Paint-a-Thon benefits low-income, elderly and disabled homeowners which enables them to live independently in the homes they love while maintaining their dignity and health.
Projects completed during the annual week-long event were selected with the assistance of state housing agencies, community organizations and local churches.
About 16 percent of Idaho’s current residents are 60 years old or older. According to the Idaho Commission on Aging, people aged 85 and older constitute the fastest growing segment. Their numbers are increasing five times faster than those of the state’s total population.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 18 June 2009 )
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