| Twin Cities to ‘Paint the Town’ again | | Posted: Thursday, April 19, 2012 9:02 pm
| By CHRIS MENEES
Staff Reporter
The Twin Cities’ “Let’s Paint the Town” program is ready for its third — and final — summer.
Only seven to 10 buildings remain to be finished through the grassroots community revitalization campaign, according to coordinators.
“Let’s Paint the Town” kicked off in May 2010 in Fulton and South Fulton after nearly 200 people met with Sam Koltinsky of Princeton, Ky., who shared how the success of the project he implemented in 2006 impacted his own community and others where it had spread.
Prior to that, a couple of people had already approached Twin Cities Chamber of Commerce executive director Thea Vowell and discussed the possibility of something to improve the appearance of Fulton and South Fulton; then someone found information online about Princeton’s “Let’s Paint the Town” effort.
Koltinsky expressed a willingness to help when he visited the area and when Twin Cities resident Jeff Campbell heard about the project, he came on board to assist. Campbell had retired from the railroad and moved back to the Fulton-South Fulton area.
The first work day was held June 5, 2010, when a host of community volunteers tackled painting one building in South Fulton and one building in Fulton. The project proved successful and several other buildings were painted in the months that followed throughout the summer of 2010 and then again during the spring and summer of 2011.
Campbell announced plans for the final summer of work in an email sent out Monday by the Twin Cities Chamber of Commerce.
“… I just wanted to let you all know that we’re gearing up for the third and final summer of the ‘Let’s Paint the Town’ program,” he said.
He said volunteers hope to kick off the spring painting session Saturday at Evans Drug Co. on Lake Street in downtown Fulton. Workers will start at 8:30 a.m. and have to caulk and paint the upstairs windows. However, he said he is not asking for volunteers for Saturday’s work since there are already enough volunteers signed up for the window trim work.
Campbell said looking ahead, volunteers only have seven and possibly as many as 10 buildings to finish up the “Let’s Paint the Town” program. Based on those numbers and considering the weather, he predicts the program will be completed by the end of June.
Anyone interested in volunteering their time to work or in donating items such as snacks or beverages for workers is asked to call the Twin Cities Chamber of Commerce at (731) 479-7029 or send an email to twincitieschamber@bell south.net, according to Mrs. Vowell.
Campbell said the chamber plans to do other projects to help “spruce up” different areas in the Twin Cities. He asked community members to begin thinking of any other projects crews might tackle in order to continue to restore the town after the innovative “Let’s Paint the Town” effort is completed.
Mrs. Vowell told The Messenger some ideas include a “Let’s Plant the Town” project for improving the appearance of the community or a home makeover version of “Let’s Paint the Town” for residences in the Twin Cities.
“I can tell you, when I look back at our program from the beginning, I feel a great deal of pride and self-satisfaction regarding the amazing work we’ve been able to accomplish because of your efforts,” Campbell told volunteers in the chamber’s email communication. “When I drive through town now, I feel proud for our town instead of shame and sadness.”
He said work completed through the “Let’s Paint the Town” program combined with other efforts to attract new businesses downtown have “given new life and new looks to our little downtown business district.”
He expressed appreciation to the many volunteers for their tireless efforts the last two years.
“It just shows what amazing things a small group of focused and dedicated people can accomplish,” he added.
Staff Reporter Chris Menees may be contacted by email at cmenees@ucmessenger.com.
Published in The Messenger 4.19.12 | | | | |
