Volunteers Prepare to Paint Their Hearts Out

Raymond Pittman stood on his porch this week and expressed his delight that his 76-year-old blue-gray Spanish-Colonial-style home on West Broadway is among those that volunteers will be painting this weekend.

“It’s going to be gorgeous,” said Pittman, 65, who has owned the home for 20 years.

Pittman’s home is one of 44 being refurbished today during Paint Your Heart Out Anaheim, a program that upgrades homes for low-income elderly and disabled owners.

Several volunteers, including painting contractor Carl Nagel, got a head start on work at Pittman’s 1,700-square-foot home earlier this week. About a dozen people will turn out today to finish the make-over.

“It’s really exciting to see all these people come together and help the less fortunate,” said Nagel, 37, a volunteer since the inception of the program, now in its seventh year.

Today, more than 800 volunteers will use 1,500 gallons of paint on the 44 houses, an effort valued at more than $200,000, said Carolyn Griebe, program coordinator.

Besides a coat of exterior paint, houses will get interior smoke detectors either inspected or installed by firefighters. City utilities employees will put in low-flow shower heads and toilet dams, check for leaks and give homeowners energy-saving light bulbs.

More than 15 shade trees are being planted, and city maintenance crews plan to resurface three driveways on their day off.

Griebe said that in the previous six years of the program, 233 homes have been refurbished by volunteers and local businesses. About $120,000 in cash and supplies have been given this year.

Pittman’s house has not been painted in about 13 years, he said, so the stucco was chipping, trim paint was peeling, and some windows were broken.

The home will be painted bone white with burgundy and dusty rose trim. It will get a new wooden screen door, a new entry door and replacements for the broken windows.

Nagel said improvements to Pittman’s home are worth about $5,000.

“It’s absolutely fantastic,” said Pittman, who has been disabled since 1980. “I live on a very limited income.”

Volunteer Barbara Gonzalez, 52, a real estate agent, said she looks forward to working on Pittman’s home today.

“I recognize the value of nice-looking houses in the neighborhood,” she said. “But more than that, there are so many people who don’t have the money to be able to do these kinds of jobs. It just makes you feel good.”

Volunteer information: (714) 974-9481. --DEBRA CANO