UI freshman Brooke Hodson forgot her morning coffee before checking into Paint the Palouse as a volunteer Saturday. Even though she was still waking up, Hodson said she thought it was important to come out and represent the university, and hopefully learn something about her new community in the process.
“It”s my first time on campus, and my first time in the states,” she said. “I”m from Canada.”
Approximately 400 University of Idaho students painted two local houses for the 26th annual Paint the Palouse, a yearly service project coordinated by University Housing. This year”s turnout was pretty typical for the event, said Keegan Hedge, a coordinator for the event.
She said local homeowners applied online to have their house painted, and a couple houses are selected from the candidates. This year, she said, there were only two homeowners who applied.
“It was perfect,” she said.
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Student volunteers painting homes for Moscow community members from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.
At one of the houses, UI sophomore Joe Stanley and Hodson were helping a group of other students clean brushes. Stanley said he and many other students had walked to the site from campus, giving them the valuable opportunity to get a glimpse at the Moscow community.
“There”s more to Moscow than campus,” he said. “It”s nice for students to get off campus and see how Moscow really is, which is a nice community.”
As they cleaned brushes, a man walking with his children passed and said hello, and paused to chat with a student about what they were doing.
Many locals that morning had waved as they drove past or stopped to be friendly, Stanley said.
“I can”t believe how many people walk out here,” Hodson said. “Like, how many people are just outside.”
Stanley said while it”s important for students to give back to their community, he”s especially pleased to see students witnessing the connectivity of Moscow.
“Being a part of the Moscow community is really important,” Stanley said. “The community is really closely tied with the university, and it”s important for students to see that connection.”
At the other house, sophomore Patrick Paulus was helping put a layer of peach-colored paint over the old gray paint. This is his second year participating in Paint the Palouse, and he said he still keeps in touch with friends he made at the event last year.
While Paulus said it”s important for students to get out and see the community, Paint the Palouse is especially valuable for helping students connect to each other.
“It”s good for helping students get out into their community, but I think it helps more with the student community,” Paulus said.
Hannah Shirley can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @itshannah7