Eight communities in Pennsylvania are a little more beautiful thanks to the 2013 Fresh Paint Days Program sponsored by Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful with support from BEHR and The Home Depot.

In Cambria County, the Bottle Works Ethnic Arts Center engaged volunteers from AmeriCorps and Lift Johnstown to transform the four most visible pillars supporting the Route 56 overpass into public art.

The transformation of this once unused area will provide community space for a variety of activities such as open air markets, a dog park, or performance space.

The maintenance of Pillar Park will be a legacy project for the Pennsylvania Mountain Service Corps AmeriCorps members. Pillar designs were provided by Allied Artists of Johnstown and individual artists. Additional partners include: Community Foundation for the Alleghenies, City of Johnstown, and the Department of Transportation.   

Fresh Paint Days is designed to provide community groups with paint and painting supplies enabling these groups to renew a community structure in need into something beautiful through the application of fresh paint and a lot of elbow grease.  Winners received up to 20 gallons of exterior paints plus $50.00 in painting supplies.

Other projects included: Allegheny County – Larimer Green Team for painting of neighborhood community center, Berks County – City of Reading for painting of Neighborhood Housing Services Community Center, Blair County – Borough of Williamsburg for painting of historic landmark, Chester  County – Downingtown Main Street for painting of building in Wallace Square, Lawrence  County – Enon Valley Community Historical Society for painting of local museum and social hall, Northampton County – Borough of Bath for painting of volunteer fire department building and public works building, and Somerset County – Somerset Rails to Trail Association for painting of visitor center along the Rockwood Trail.

“It is very inspiring to see what can be accomplished when community members come together. These transformations are a visible reminder of the pride that people have for the places they live. Through our partnership with BEHR and The Home Depot we are honored to be a part of these community revitalization efforts,” states Shannon Reiter, President of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful.

For more information on this and other beautification and anti-litter programs, visit the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful website.

11/11/2013