As if putting out fires and saving lives wasn’t enough to keep the Castle Rock Fire Department busy, they have taken on another responsibility. They are using some of their off time to ‘pay it forward’ by helping citizens with their house exterior, while preserving the beauty of our community.
After joining the town fire department in 2003, Fire Chief, Art Morales, worked to implement the ‘Paint-A-Thon’ program for Castle Rock in 2005. He had seen and worked for a similar program in Thornton, Colorado and saw the way it benefited local residents. Observing the similar circumstances among disabled, elderly and those with financial need in Castle Rock, he knew there was a gap that the program could fill here as well.
As Morales points out, the fire department hasn’t been the only one behind the annual success of Paint-A-Thon. Volunteers of all ages have given many hours of their time, and their costs have been significantly cut by donated paint supplies from Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes, Sherwin Williams, and local churches. Last weekend’s donated time and supplies allowed the team to complete most of the prep-work for the upcoming Saturday (Sept. 20), when they will lay down fresh paint.
With the weekend approaching, they are still hoping for a few more volunteers and some aid to help them reach their goal. If you would like to volunteer or help in any way with this year’s Castle Rock Paint-A-Thon, please call 303.660.1066 and visit http://www.crgov.com/index.
“The relief you see that folks have when we’re all finished…you can see it on their faces,” Chief Morales notes. That’s a reward that’s priceless.