Paint the Town event needs more volunteers
With unsightly graffiti continuing to pop up
all over Porterville, the community's second annual Paint the Town project isn't
attracting as many volunteers as sponsors had hoped.
With less than three weeks until the event, fewer than 100 participants have
signed up to volunteer. Sponsors from The Porterville Recorder and the Orange
Belt Board of Realtors are hoping to solicit more volunteers.
"We haven't gotten any calls
since last Wednesday," said Sheila Seaman, marketing coordinator for The
Porterville Recorder and a member of the Paint the Town committee.
The event, scheduled for May 29, is aimed at eradicating unsightly graffiti
around the Porterville area and requires tremendous community support.
"Last year, we had nearly 600 people help out," Seaman said. "We
would like to have at least 500 people sign up this year."
Committee members are hoping the community will follow the example of some of
the city's youth who have already signed up to Paint the Town or are doing their
part by sending a message to taggers.
Several students from Pleasant View Elementary School in Porterville are taking
matters into their own hands by attempting to stop a group of incessant taggers
from vandalizing a home near their school.
The three unidentified students and their teacher received permission from the
home's owner, Ramona Lopez, to create their own inspirational mural on the fence
that was being repeatedly tagged.
"I like it because the taggers have not returned," Lopez said.
"They used to write ugly things all over the fence. It looks so much better
now."
Lopez said she has been covering up the graffiti on her fence for more than
eight years, but every time she painted over it the taggers saw it as a clean,
new place to tag. Now, thanks to the students, the fence is decorated with words
like "Peace," "Caring" and "Citizenship."
Stephanie Maese's fifth-grade class at Olive Street School is also interested in
doing away with graffiti. They have signed up to bring 20 volunteers to Paint
the Town.
"My kids are so excited," Maese said. "They keep asking when the
next Paint the Town is. We had a blast last year."
Maese thinks it is important to encourage young people to take care of the
community they live in.
"It is part of our curriculum," Maese said. "My students know
that I want them to get involved."
City of Porterville Graffiti Action Coordinator Pauline Flowers said the project
was a huge success in 2003 and really made a difference in the community.
"It beautified the town," Flowers said. "It's important to our
city. No one likes to see graffiti."
Modesto Gomez, a member of the Orange Belt Board of Realtors, said beautifying
Porterville is a priority of his business. More than 15 realtors and affiliates
from the Orange Belt Board of Realtors have already signed up to help out.
"This is our town. But for us it's also our livelihood and our
business," Gomez said. "When people come in from out of town and look
at our city, it looks really bad right now."
On the day of the event, those participating will be divided into groups and
provided specific areas of the city where they will cover graffiti. They will be
provided the needed supplies and a team leader will accompany them, showing them
the correct way to cover up graffiti.
For more information, or to sign up for Paint the Town, contact Sheila Seaman at
784-5000 or at sseaman@portervillerecorder.com.
Contact Katie Hicks at 784-5000, ext. 1050, or khicks@portervillerecorder.com