ALTON - Alton couple Dale and Carol Neudecker were recently honored by Pride Inc. with the Legacy Award for their decades of dedication to beautifying the community.
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The Neudeckers have been instrumental in numerous projects in Alton, including the creation of the Bucket Brigade, which has organized volunteers to paint more than 1,500 houses over the years. Their efforts also include installing planters and lampposts with hanging baskets, inspired by a city in Wisconsin, which have become a notable feature of the Upper Alton area. The Bucket Brigade idea has been emulated across the country by those who have heard of what Dale started here.
In an interview following the award presentation, Dale Neudecker reflected on the origins and impact of their work.
“One of the main things was the Bucket Brigade. I came up with that idea and we have churches, businesses involved and everyone I could corral to paint houses,” he said. “After all these years, past 1,500 houses we painted, I have no idea they were going to do all that. That is an awful lot of people in town who deserve the plaques and those kinds of things.”
He acknowledged initial skepticism about Bucket Brigade initially from some Pride board members.
“When I came up with the idea, the new president of Pride and one of the board members stood up and said I was crazy, it would never work. He said everyone hated to paint,” Neudecker said. “We have fewer and fewer houses to paint now we have painted so many."
Dale also credited ongoing community support, including from Sherwin-Williams, and praised the volunteers who have helped sustain the projects.
“Carol absolutely, she gets in there and she is a hard worker and I couldn't have done it without her," Dale said.
Pride Inc. continues to recognize residents who maintain their properties and contribute to neighborhood improvement, with the Neudeckers serving as a notable example of such commitment.
If you have a Difference Makers idea, send the information with a clear photo to news@riverbender.com.
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