THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, May 3, 1996 TAG: 9605030739
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 18 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover story
SOURCE: BY SUSAN W. SMITH, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 189 lines
TO MORE THAN 1,000 Chesapeake volunteers, Saturday was a day of labor. But to 25 elderly homeowners, it was a day of miracles.
``It was truly a day of blessings,'' said homeowner Alberta C. Williams of the Chesapeake Rotary Club's fifth annual ``Paint Your Heart Out Chesapeake'' event.
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and a team of Chesapeake master gardeners had given Williams' house a new lease on life - repairing a back door, installing new gutters, spreading on a fresh coat of paint, raising vegetable beds and adding a flower box spilling over with marigolds, geraniums and tulips.
The Chesapeake Rotary Club sponsored the work day, which included military groups, city workers, businesses, churches, civic organizations and corporate and individual donors. They banded together to devote time, energy, talents and money to help elderly, low-income homeowners fix up their homes.
Rotarian Robert F. Ripley introduced ``Paint Your Heart Out Chesapeake'' after witnessing a similar event in Florida.
Over the past five years, 125 homes in Chesapeake have received repairs and make-overs. The project received the 1993 Governor's Silver Award for Volunteer Excellence, the 1994 Commendation Award from the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce and the 1994 Chesapeake Environmental Award. In 1995, the project was presented the prestigious Rotary International Significant Achievement Award of which only 100 were awarded worldwide.
``I knew it would be a worthwhile project,'' Ripley said. ``But it is incredible that so many people would care and become involved. But, you know, that's typical of Chesapeake citizens.''
For the second year, Norfolk Rotary Clubs adopted homes in their own neighborhoods to make the project a regional event.
``This is a project that not only makes a difference in the homeowner's life, but it affects the community and touches almost every volunteer in some way,'' said R.S. Best, Chesapeake's acting deputy fire chief and chairperson of this year's event.
``Enthusiasm for helping others is highly contagious,'' said Lewis W. Witt, president of the Chesapeake Rotary Club.
The Paint Your Heart Out Chesapeake committee began preparation for last week's event last August, according to Jeanette B. Whitfield, project coordinator. Committees were formed, lists of possible beneficiaries were compiled and volunteers and supporters were contacted. Donations of paint, brushes, scrapers, hammers, nails, ladders, lumber, windows, mulch and fertilizer were stockpiled. Gifts of money were put in the bank.
Sears Roebuck & Co. donated more than 100 gallons of paint. Tradesmen - pressure washers, plumbers, electricians and carpenters - volunteered their skills. Domino's Pizza and McDonald's restaurants provided breakfast and lunch for the workers.
Best said every home was checked out by preparation crews well in advance and initial repairs made and supplies ordered so that Saturday's work day would go smoothly.
By 7 a.m. Saturday, volunteer teams had already arrived at Chesapeake City Park, eager to begin. They grabbed their complimentary T-shirts and paint caps, donated by Hoffman Beverage, and checked in with their team. Each group had a Rotary sponsor, a team captain and about 25 assigned volunteers.
A team of master gardeners was assigned to each home, too. They attacked weeds, scalped overgrown bushes, trimmed trees and raked leaves. The gardeners left behind beds of vinca, marigolds, geraniums, impatiens and azaleas and carefully manicured lawns.
The Chesapeake Fire Department made safety inspections at each house and installed new smoke detectors where needed.
Some volunteers, such as Charles P. Chapman, showed up to offer services where needed. Chapman was at the Chesapeake City Park command post when a call came in from the Chesapeake Fire Department. Electrical wiring problems were discovered on one of the home inspections. Within minutes, Chapman, an electrician, was on his way to a house-call.
Rotary coordinator A. Robert Creekmore, team captain Erik Sheahan and Joe Flanagan's Job Corps' team from WVEC-TV 13 were at Mary Porter's house bright and early.
Porter has lived in her house for almost 50 years and has always been independent. Now dependent on a portable oxygen tank, Porter's activities are limited. But by Saturday afternoon, there was nothing for her to do but to watch the crews work.
Almost like magic, two rusted storage buildings were banished, a new shed was erected and an electric garage door, donated by Overhead Door Co. of Norfolk, was installed.
Nothing escaped the busy paint brushes. Porter's entire house was painted soft gray with white trim. Beverly G. Vail painted the clothes line poles while Sylvia A. Baineau painted the swing and even the lawn ornaments.
To set off the new look, the yard was raked, the grass was mowed and the Las Gaviotas Garden Club decorated with low-maintenance plantings.
``It is a good feeling to help those who deserve some extra attention,'' said John E. Bostwick, a Navy medical technician. It was his third Paint Your Heart Out Chesapeake project.
``They kept telling me what was going to happen,'' Porter said. ``But I just never dreamed about anything like this. I am going to take my rocking chair to the yard and just sit and rock and look and rock and look.''
Homeowner William Wright, a retired Norfolk Naval Shipyard photographer, wanted to catch all the action at his house. He walked from the back yard to the side yard to the front yard, but he couldn't keep up with the Chesapeake Public Works team that swarmed over his house.
Hammers pounded and paint brushes flew as a side porch was repaired, the roof was patched and windows were glazed.
C.W. Meekins and his professional paint crew set up their equipment to spray the house, as primers, trimmers and caulkers finished their work. Gradually Wright's green cottage became the newest white house on Decatur Street.
``My business comes from Chesapeake,'' Meekins said. ``This is a way I can give back to the community.''
``Before the day is over, we are going to have a real showplace here,'' said John O'Conner, the city's director of public works.
Rotary Coordinator John Murphy, team captain Ben Reynolds and the HC-6 Chargers, a helicopter crew from Naval Air Station Norfolk, jumped inside and outside of Angenora Freeman's house.
The crew replaced weathered exterior trim boards, installed new drywall in a bedroom ceiling and even took the kitchen cabinets off the wall to make repairs before replacing the cabinets.
``This is one time when an airman gives an order and everyone obeys,'' Commander Dave Jerabek said. ``These people know what they are doing.''
The repair of Freeman's house became a national event as Laura Wade of Oklahoma, Karla Vandorn of Florida, Ramon Berrocal of New York and Laurel Shoematte of Georgia traded liberty passes for paint brushes.
The Great Bridge Rotary Club and the River Walk Garden Club attacked Martha Shupe's house with six gallons of white paint and such fervor that not even the mailbox or the backside of the garage was spared paint. A new garage door, donated by Virginia Door, was installed.
``The greatest gift is not only all the repairs and hard work, but knowing that so many people care about me,'' Shupe said.
``It really does take only a few caring, hard-working people to make a miracle,'' team captain Glenn Bauernschmidt said.
After five years of fielding Paint Your Heart Out teams, Timothy H. Kerr, Ernest S. Spruill, James D. Chandler and the workers from the Chesapeake campus of Tidewater Community College looked professional as they installed storm windows, screened in a front porch and replaced a bedroom floor for Vernette Corprew, who has occupied her home since since 1947.
``They did so much for me, and they don't even know me,'' Corprew said. ``What has happened here is almost unbelievable.''
Fanny S. Miller said the Crestar Bank team that worked on her home made her feel like a queen.
``I even went out before 6 the next morning to make sure it wasn't a dream,'' Miller said. ``Although several days have passed, I still bask in the glow of all the hard work and all the kindness shown to me.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color cover photo by L. TODD SPENCER
Marcey Minter and Terry Carroll replace the facing on a house on
Great Bridge Boulevard as part of the renovation campaign.
Photos by L. TODD SPENCER
John Bostowick paints the outside of a newly built shed as other
volunteers work on a house in the ``Paint Your Heart Out
Chesapeake'' event.
Tom Foreman works on a window of a home on Decatur Road.
Arthur New and Randy Hennesy unload mulch for the garden.
The house on Decatur Road undergoes a complete renovation.
Graphic
PAINT YOUR HEART OUT CHESAPEAKE TEAMS
Greenbrier Presbyterian Church
Chesapeake Public Works Department
Great Bridge Lions Club
Great Bridge Rotary Club
Great Bridge Sertoma Club
McDonald's
Signet Bank / NSU Business School
Virginia Power - Chesapeake
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity-Portsmouth
HC-6 Chargers
NationsBank N.A.
TCI of Virginia
WCMS Radio
William E. Wood & Associates
WVEC-TV, channel 13
Household Credit Services
South Norfolk Ruritan Club
Crestar Bank
Resolute AFDM-10
Tidewater Community College, Chesapeake Campus
Jefferson National Bank
NSGA Northwest
VC-6 Firebees
Virginia Beach Federal
Oak Grove United Methodist Church
by CNB