Volunteers ready to Paint the Town

By Sarah Villicana, The Porterville Recorder

Local residents will be out in full force Saturday for the second Paint the Town project.

The community effort is aimed at reducing the amount of unsightly graffiti that has plagued walls and bridges all over Porterville. Over 250 volunteers will be out this weekend to prove that a little paint can go a long way when it comes to keeping our city beautiful.

Fred Beltran gets a head start on the second Paint The Town event while testing paint on a wall along North Newcomb Street. (Recorder photo by John Tipton)

"We want to involve the whole community in eradicating visible graffiti," said Neil Smith, who has been involved in Paint the Town since its inception last year.

This Saturday, Smith will be responsible for delivering supplies to team leaders.

"Graffiti can really become a drain on the community," Smith said. "If it's not taken care of it can really take over."

Participants will meet Saturday morning in the Monache High School parking lot, where they will be divided into groups and assigned an area to paint. Supplies and instructions will be available on site.

This year's focus is the "patchwork look" that is visible on walls where graffiti has been previously covered over.

"The idea is to make everything more uniform," said Ruben Olgun of the Orange Belt Board of Realtors. "Painting the walls a single color would make the city look cleaner. We asked for input from the community and this is something they wanted done."

Making the city more aesthetically pleasing is not the only reason to pick up a can of paint and lend a hand.

"Eliminating graffiti has a direct affect on property prices," Olgun said. "We think that is very important because it's good for business."

Three colors were selected by the city to match the particular areas which will be painted over. Paint and equipment for Paint the Town were purchased entirely by donations from local individuals and businesses, with most donations averaging $100.

Volunteers are still needed for Paint the Town. As the number of volunteers grows, so will the benefits to the community.

"One of the best things that came out of last year's event was all the teenagers that came out," said Faith Hall of the Porterville Sheltered Workshop. "Wherever there was a need, they were there to help."

According to Hall, the amount of graffiti-related activity in Porterville dropped following the Paint the Town project.

"This event really sets a good example," Olgun said. "I have four kids at home and it is important for them to see people have support for their community."

Paint the Town is sponsored by the Orange Belt Board of Realtors, the City of Porterville and The Porterville Recorder. For more information, or to sign up for Paint the Town, contact Sheila Seaman at 784-5000, or sseaman@portervillerecorder.com.

Contact Sarah Villicana at svillicana@portervillerecorder.com