2008 Year in Review

PTT Sponsors and Community Businesses Go Above and Beyond

By Barb Bees

This year we received the paint - 4,500 lbs on 4 palettes - more than a week early - 10 days to be exact, and unexpected. Got the call at 6:45 in the morning that it was on a truck and scheduled for the first delivery. If the shipping company stored it for us it would have cost us $75 per day and the paint company really did not want to pay this either.

Since we ship to the Morrison Fire Department and they are kind to let us do this - this is a big part of their participation. They let us ship to the fire station, store it for about a week and pack the event bags there as well. However, longer than that may compromise their space and how they can respond to calls. The fire department has provided this for us for several years, since the event grew beyond the point that we could manage the bags in a small space.

American Products became involved when Warren Pruis and Brian Pruis became aware through the shipping company, that we had the early delivery issue. They agreed to take delivery of the paint and store it for us until we could move it to the Fire Department on Friday, September 12, which would have been our normal delivery date and the date that we specified with the paint company. I presume this was just a glitch because the paint company, Sargent Art, is usually very good at arranging delivery on the date we specify.

This morning Brian Pruis arranged to have his employees move the paint using, their equipment, to the Fire Dept where we will count it in and get it ready to pack in the bags.

We are so appreciative of their generosity in storing and moving the paint. We are careful stewards of our sponsorship funds as they are the reason that the cost to paint is still $10 per square (the cost of the bag contents is roughly $25). And any funds that are made from PTT are used for Scholarships, art equipment for the school art programs and community projects.

THE National Bank is not only a cash sponsor but each year gives us the use of their large event tent for our registration and information area. This is invaluable to keep our registration area organized and shaded so our volunteers stay cool and comfortable at a very harried time.

Don Jevne and True Value Hardward have been sponsors since the first year. He used to order and take receipt of the paint until it became so large that he simply couldn't deal with the numbers any more and we went directly to the company. Don helped design and hook up the wash stations when they were put in place. For several years he provided the mixing cups for the bags. Don has always gone out of his way to help and support Paint the Town beyond his sponsorship.

Mark Schuler and Schuler Motors were sponsors for several years and Mark always brings a trailer and gets a crew together to help with clean up Merle Risenbigler and RC Smith have sponsored the event but Merle is there every year making sure the garbage collection is organized throughout the day and at the end of this event. He travels the streets during the day and helps troubleshoot the event.

Each year Morrison Blacktop brings over loads of sand to assist us with tent supports. There are so many others that give of their time, materials and donations to make sure this event is supported - from small donations to large amounts of time and talent. What would we do without them - their generosity is appreciated so very much. The Paint the Town Committee works very hard during the year to organize Paint the Town and make it happen but without the support of our sponsors and wonderful volunteers it would not be what it is.

Paint the Town is a work of art that the Morrison Community has made. We have calls from 6-8 communities each year asking for the "recipe” so they can also do the event in their towns. Most do not succeed or it happens on a very small scale. It takes a very special combination of Committees, sponsors and a great community effort to make this happen and grow year after year. Paint the Town would not be possible without its sponsors.

This year’s sponsors include: Exelon, Fitzgerald Pharmacy, CGH, Wells Fargo Bank, Sterling Gazette, Clinton Herald, City of Morrison, Altronic Coils, American Piping Group, American Products, Baxter and Woodman, Consulting Engineers, Blackhawk Lumber, Community State Bank, DQ Grill & Chill, Farmers National Bank, Happy Joe’s, Kohl’s, Law Office of William R. Shirk, 3M, Medical Associates, Moring Disposal, Pi Design, Inc, P&P Tool, Subway, Dr. William Simpson, Super Wash, Inc.

THE National Bank, Waste Management, WSDR, WZZT, WSSQ radio, A+ Self Storage, Climco Coils Company, Coplan & Buckwalter, PC, Karen Bramm Insurance, Ken Kophamer Realty, Law Office of Lester Weinstine, Mickley Insurance, Morrison True Value Hardware, Morrison Unit District 6, Pignatelli & Mertes, PC, Pop Graphics, Shawver Press, Sterling Federal Bank, Tegeler Accounting, US Cellular, Whiteside New Sentinel, Nelson, Kilgus, Richey, Huffman, and Buckwalter- Schurman, Northwestern Title, RC Smith/Scenic Stage Line.

by  Editor, theCity1.com
September 15, 2008