UC Riverside’s Zeta Phi Rho (ZΦP) and a good friend deserve a big holiday thank you. They came out to paint a home between studying time and finals. Zeta Phi Rho helped Rudy and Joy; a senior couple who live in Riverside’s King Arthur mobile home park. Rudy and Joy are both retired and survive off of social security and Rudy’ military pension. With this fixed income, they cannot afford to have their home painted. The home was starting to show its age with the original paint fading and the metal base exposed in several areas of the house. After being cited by the park to repaint their home, they applied for Habitat for Humanity Riverside’s A Brush With Kindness program.
Sixteen volunteers showed up from UC Riverside’s Zeta Phi Rho. They arrived around 8:30 ready to give up their time for this great couple in need. Most of the volunteers were first time painters so a little painting 101 was given. We had fun with the paint sprayer in painting the front of the home and carport side skirting. It was finals prep week for the students so we wanted to get the job done by 1pm to give them the rest of their Saturday afternoon for studying. Some mature Juniper bushes were trimmed earlier in the week, but they still proved a problem as volunteers wrangled to set up ladders and paint the large awning. Once the walls were almost complete, the group got busy with painting trim and all the shutters. Brandon, Habitat Riverside’s UCR Federal Work Study intern helped with the high trim.
Rudy gave his seal of approval while Joy and him took a group photo with the volunteers. Joy picked out the paint color scheme and was excited to be in the picture. With the home complete, the students loaded the truck and headed back to study for finals week. Good Luck on those exams, Zetas! Thanks to UC Riverside’s Zeta Phi Rho, Rudy and Joy received an early holiday gift from all of you. Happy Holidays!
