IMMOKALEE — To celebrate the fifth annual National Painting Week, 28 willing and able-bodied Sherwin-Williams volunteers painted the Immokalee Boys & Girls Club May 24.

With so many paint rollers and brushes working, the drab brown building was transformed quickly into a much lighter shade called sensational sand with jay blue trim. Club manager Patrick Shepard chose the colors and surprised the children with the change.

“They were excited; couldn’t believe we changed the building,” Shepard said. “They really like the blue. Then they just went on their way to doing what they were doing.”
The volunteers were all Sherwin-Williams managers and sales representatives from stores in the area.

“We are trying to give back to the community and partner with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America,” said John Anderson, the city manager of 20 stores in Naples and Fort Myers. “Our goal is to have all 4,000 stores in the U.S. and Canada participate in the project to give back to the community. We plan to donate about 10,000 gallons of paint.”

It took about 25 gallons to finish the Immokalee building.

“A significant benefit of being associated with Boys & Girls Clubs of America is the access to “in-kind” goods and services,” said Bryan Granie, Boys & Girls Club assistant director. “While these goods and services do not cost the Tribe anything, they carry significant value, which translates into real dollars.”

Granie estimated the value of the new paint job at between eight and 10 thousand dollars. Before the volunteers showed up ready to work, Trafford Pressure Cleaning of Naples donated their services to prepare the building for a new coat of paint.

According to a company press release, throughout the week Sherwin-Williams employees would paint more than 275 non-profit locations in the U.S. and Canada, including Boys & Girls Clubs, churches, schools and other organizations.