Pride Inc.’s Bucket Brigade enters its 28th year this spring and as always it needs single, owner-occupied homes to paint and volunteers.
Sherwin Williams Paint is a partner in the annual campaign each year. This year’s date for the campaign is May 16.
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“The homeowner has to be unable to maintain their own physically or financially and the homes have to be one story for the safety of our volunteers,” Bucket Brigade founder Dale Neudecker said. “Through our first 27 years, we have painted 1,345 houses from Jerseyville to South Roxana.”
Neudecker helped start Bucket Brigade nearly three decades ago when he was the incoming Pride, Inc., president.
“I felt like we should be doing something to improve the community and I tried to think of something most of us could do and I thought most of us could use a paint brush to some extent. We shot for 12 houses and painted 27 the first year and we have painted 1,345 houses since the start.”
Each year, between 250 to 500 people volunteer to paint, the pioneer behind the Bucket Brigade said.
“I am extremely proud of our great volunteers we have in this community willing to step forward and help a neighbor,” Neudecker added. “People are willing to come back year after year and paint although everyone says everybody hates to paint.”
Neudecker said he loves that Bucket Brigade helps people right in this area who need it.
“Many say they drive by for years checking on the houses to see the condition of the house,” he said. “I think it actually gives an ownership to all the volunteers who take the responsibility to improve community.”
Because of Bucket Brigade, Neudecker said he thinks many have been able to stay in their homes for a longer period of time.
“There are a lot of widows we have taken care of and sprucing up their homes kept many people in their homes who would have thrown in the towel,” he said.
Anyone wishing to nominate a house for Bucket Brigade can do so by contacting 618-467-2375.
