Help by Volunteering for the 2008 Paint the Town

The Children’s Art Preservation Association’s Paint the Town event, set for Saturday, September 20 on Morrison’s Main Street, is prepping for another year, which means its volunteers once again are preparing for a busy day.

Paint the Town volunteer chairman Duane “Barney” Habben said volunteers of all ages are welcome.

“Anybody who wants to volunteer, I’ll put them to work some place,” Habben said.

On Saturday, September 20, volunteers start barricading the streets and setting up tents at 3 a.m. At 5 a.m., they begin laying out the 1,300 squares.

Along with other odds and ends (setting up the registration tent, wash basins and garbage boxes), volunteers have a busy day before Paint the Town even begins. As the event gets going, volunteers help with a variety of activities, including working the registration and information tents, monitoring the streets, monitoring the garbage boxes, checking the wash basins and checking the paper towel supply.

The evening work includes taking down the tents, taking out the trash and putting away the tables and other supplies.

Habben said he still is looking for more volunteers, with roughly 80 individuals already signed up to help. Anyone looking to volunteer in any way or at any time may contact Habben at (815) 772-2018.

“It’s not really hard work,” Habben said. “It’s just time out of your day.”

2007’s Paint the Town had just over 90 volunteers, with roughly 70 percent of them returning from previous years, Habben said. But new faces always are welcome, with the more volunteers, the merrier.

“The more people we have, the quicker we go,” Habben said.

For individuals looking to help prior to the event, Habben said more volunteers are welcome to help pack the supply bags with paint, cups, plates, stirring sticks and other supplies Thursday, September 18. Once all the bags for the 1,300 squares are packed, they are carried to and stored in the Morrison Fire Department’s storeroom.

With Paint the Town being such a unique way to celebrate the arts, Habben thinks it’s very important for the community to come and help or to just come and enjoy the event itself.

“It’s a chance to put your mark on the city streets,” he said.

Pre-registration for Paint the Town may be done by turning in registration forms to Morrison City Hall, 200 W. Main St. Cost is $10 per square, which includes supplies and one Paint the Town t-shirt. Registration forms and information are available at City Hall.

Individuals also may register on the day of the event, but they are not guaranteed a square, as the squares go fast.

Paint the Town would not be possible without its sponsors. This year’s sponsors include:

Exelon • Fitzgerald Pharmacy • Sterling Gazette • Wells Fargo Bank • City of Morrison • CGH

Altronic Coils • American Piping Group • Blackhawk Lumber • Community State Bank • Dairy Queen • Dr. William Simpson • Farmers National Bank • Happy Joe’s • Kohl’s • Law Offices of William R. Shirk • Medical Associates • 3M • Subway • Super Wash

Climco Coils Company • Coplan & Buckwalter • Ken Kophamer Realty • Mickley Insurance • Law Offices of Lester Weinstine • Pignatelli & Mertes • Tegeler Accounting • U.S. Cellular • Whiteside News Sentinel