The deadline is tomorrow for Iowans to sign up for free paint to be used for public service projects.
Gerry Schnepf, executive director of Keep Iowa Beautiful, explains how the Paint Iowa Beautiful program works. “It’s an opportunity for organizations, non-profits, communities to apply for a paint grant to put a fresh coat of paint on a project,” Schnepf says. “Could be park benches, could be a building, could be a house in the town.”
Last year, 81 community projects were awarded free paint products from Orange City-based Diamond Vogel Paint. Schnepf says the program helps neighborhoods, communities, historic projects and other public service organizations improve the attractiveness and beauty of Iowa, its towns and its countryside.
“The ability to put on a fresh coat of paint just gives everybody a good feeling about things,” he says. “That’s the positive side of it and there is no negative side to it. It’s all just good things for communities.” Over the 13-year partnership with Keep Iowa Beautiful, Diamond Vogel has provided more than 82-hundred gallons of paint for 585 Iowa community projects. The winners for the Paint Iowa Beautiful program will be announced in late March. For details, contact Schnepf at (515)323-6507.
(Reporting by Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City)