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Volunteers spread paint and blessings in Springfield School Districtby Linda Russell, KY3 News
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SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- A large paint crew brought a bright new look to the cafeteria at Pershing Elementary and Middle School on Wednesday evening, but they won't get paid for their work. Churches have been pitching in on projects for the Springfield School District for years but the extra helping hands may be needed more now than ever. When kids go back to Pershing next month, they'll find a bright new coat of paint in the cafeteria. "When you see them walk into school on the first day of school and their head goes up a little bit, and they know that people care about them, it creates pride in their environment," said school district Quality Assurance Manager Leslie Ballew. Members of the East Sunshine Church of Christ put on their painting clothes and picked up the rollers and brushes. "We thought this could really bless our community in a big way," said church life minister Nick Fouts. About 50 painters of all ages helped. "We encourage our families to work together and many of them came out," said Fouts. With 4 million square feet of walls throughout the district and only five staff painters, volunteers are practically a necessity. "This is kind of along my line of work, so I enjoy doing this, and I'm glad that we can help out," said church member Harold Luter. Without them, schools would wait 20 years for fresh coats. "Now, thanks to the community outreach and the faith-based communities reaching out to us, we're on a 13-year rotation, so we're making ground," said Ballew. Just this summer, from May to September, volunteers are giving 100,000 manhours on projects for the Springfield School District. "It's a big deal when they reach out to us," said Ballew. It's especially important now, because of big budget cuts. "If we're not hiring teachers, we sure can't hire painters," she said. "We're all looking for ways to help each other in times like this," said Fouts. Their hard work will stretch dollars further and make this school a brighter place to learn. "I pray it's a blessing for this school and the community," said Fouts. Nine volunteer groups have signed up to help this summer. If your group would like to get involved, call the district's main office to sign up for next summer. Most Viewed
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