We had such an incredible gift from Tom Matheny and the Medaille College community. Mr. Matheny and Lisa Black coordinated a used paint drive on our behalf and Tom brought us about 180 cans of used paint on Saturday. Ian and I spent about 4 hours consolidating the “like colors” for redistribution. We certainly needed all that paint because we’d practically run out from all those schools we delivered to previously. So, Sunday night Michael and I spoke to plan Monday to the T. We made sure we had time to deliver mural supplies to Gretchen Weidner down in Dunkirk, do an assessment in Olean, drop off a water heater, work on the financials and filing system with Kristin Rose and bribe Kevin into coming in on his day off for a staff meeting and then we intended to deliver the remaining mural supplies to the last 6 participating schools and finish the day by attending some meetings.

Michael was supposed to meet Gretchen in the Dunkirk Middle School parking lot at 7:30am and come back to Buffalo, but at 8am when I called to ask how things went, Michael told me the worst news–the boxtruck broke down . . . Drrrat! Kevin had to go rescue Michael and by the time they got back there was almost no time left in the school day. We loaded the paint into my car and the plywood onto the F250 and scrambled over to Kara Fahey at WNY Maritime Charter School, where her students assisted Michael in unloading the plywood. Then it was back to Niemiec’s to get a final load of plywood to blitz Riverside and St. Joseph’s in Kenmore and St. Mary’s School for the Deaf and Tapestry Charter School. It was almost 5pm when we finished and there was still a whole list of tasks to complete before the day’s end.

Turns out that we’ll have to get the starter rebuilt and drive it back down to Dunkirk to put it back into the boxtruck (today–ugh).
This weekend will be big for volunteer opportunities–mostly trying to get the ReSOURCE ship-shape so that we can expand hours next week. And, of course, on Monday, I’ll be driving around again to all the schools, but it’s to pick up their best panels for the exhibition on the 8th. If you’re available Monday, let me know–especially if you have a truck that can fit some 4′x8′ painted panels. We are also accepting cookies, chips and soda as light refreshments for the exhibition at Karpeles (for those of you who need a stronger reason to get back on track with that diet resolution). You can bring that stuff by the store this weekend, but make sure you tell somebody it’s for the exhibition or else it’s liable to reappear onto the thighs of the staff and volunteers!