On Saturday, May 6th, we were joined by several students from Riverside City College (RCC) and the University of California Riverside’s (UCR) Alpha Delta Pi Sorority Inc. to paint the home of the Bemis family in Riverside. Over the years the exterior of the Bemis family’s home had begun to deteriorate and violate the guidelines of their mobile home park, but due to the family’s numerous disabilities, health complications and inadequate income, they are unable to make the necessary improvements to comply with the rules of the mobile home park, and were at risk of receiving a fine. With the help of both the RCC students and Alpha Delta Pi Sorority Inc, we were able to help the Bemis family avoid fines and restore the beauty of their home.
It was a cool afternoon with a possibility of rain so everyone on site was eager to get the work done before the weather worsened and they were no longer able to paint. The volunteers quickly began working by laying paint tarps around the home, preparing the trays and rollers, and learning about the various painting supplies. Once this was done they received a quick safety demonstration and quickly began to work. The gloomy weather had no effect on the volunteers’ enthusiasm or work ethic. They worked very efficiently by determining the best ways to paint the high and low parts with minimal mistakes. Mr. Bemis came out several times to check on the progress and thank the volunteers for their work and for sacrificing their Saturday afternoon to assist him.
Painting the exterior of a home was a first for many of the volunteers since Alpha Delta Pi’s normal philanthropy involves volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House in Loma Linda. Despite the Ronald McDonald House being their main philanthropic endeavor, they also enjoy joining other organizations, especially in their local community. Their passion for community service was evident in how hard they worked and the dedication they showed in ensuring their work was neat and precise. Because of this, the Bemis family is able to enjoy a completely revitalized home and avoid the financial burden of a fine from their mobile home park. So thank you Alpha Delta Pi Sorority Inc. and RCC students for volunteering your time and hands to help give the Bemis family a safe, decent, and affordable place to call home.
