By Cathy Spaulding
Ordinarily, First National Bank President David Wood doesn’t have paint splotches all over his clothes.
But then, Friday was no ordinary day. Wood and other bank employees spent the day painting walls at the Women in Safe Home shelter and the Gospel Rescue Mission.
“We live here, work here and are fortunate to make a living here, so we need to support the community,” he said. “It’s a way of giving back to the community.”
Scores of other volunteers painted, cleaned and did landscaping work and office work during the Lake Area United Way’s annual Day of Caring.
Lake Area United Way Executive Director Debi Busch said more than 131 volunteers helped out at projects in nine locations in Muskogee and Tahlequah throughout the day. They included 30 students from Oktaha High School, Rotary Club, Dollar Thrifty Auto Group, Oklahoma Natural Gas, the VA Regional Office, even girls staying at the United Methodist Children’s Home.
The Day of Caring marked the kickoff of the 2009 United Way campaign. Busch said the United Way hopes to be able to raise more than $649,000, which was raised last year. About 80 people attended the campaign’s kickoff breakfast at Northeastern State University’s Muskogee campus.
“Local funding means greater support for the 18 agencies under the Lake Area United Way umbrella to assist with enhancing education, creating greater financial stability and increasing health and wellness options,” Busch said.
Four teams from First National Bank spent Friday painting and doing other work. Wood said each team had four to six people. Two teams worked in the morning and two worked in the afternoon.
As she painted a corner in the WISH shelter kitchen, bank chief operating officer Deorma Wells said she enjoyed helping people “in need of help.”
“We get to see people out there who need our support,” she said.
WISH Shelter Director Gwyn LaCrone was grateful for the help.
“No words can describe it,” she said. “Our kitchen was a hideous yellow, and now it’s a warm beige that goes with everything. They did an excellent job.”
Jack Murr, director of the Gospel Rescue Mission, said the new paint job makes his second floor hallways brighter.
“It means we can have an open house,” he said. “That hallway was pretty dark, so it means a great deal to us.”
