As a professional painter, I have the opportunity to volunteer my skills and direct others to help. Another Rotarian project last year was to remodel the hallways at the Sexual Assault Domestic Violence Center. I led the Rotary members by choosing the paint colors, convincing our local Sherwin Williams and Dunn Edwards paint stores and Hibbert Lumber to donate materials for free or at cost. Together with my two sons, we removed the baseboards and discovered a leaking fire sprinkler, and the job went from three days to 11 days.

After 100 hours of our time, eight Saturdays for my sons, and a couple days for the Rotary members, the repairs and painting was complete. My teenage boys witnessed the devastating impact of abuse and the compassion of all those who helped.