Sturgis Paint the Town

The 18th annual Paint the Town took place this week throughout the Black Hills communities, bringing in more than 300 volunteers to help paint residents’ houses. For Sturgis, more than 30 volunteers from businesses throughout the community came together to paint the home of Jose and Jesse Arguello.

Homeowner Katie Arguello said she heard about the opportunity over the radio and decided to apply for it.

“I think it’s marvelous that so many people are willing to help,” she said. “It’s a wonderful organization. They’re such wonderful people I can’t hardly believe it. It’s going to be very nice when it’s done. These are very hardworking people.”

According to Community Outreach and Education Coordinator Sharon Martinisko, NeighborWorks Dakota Home Resources, who hosts the Paint the Town event, also has paintbrush sponsors who simply donate money for supplies. Deadwood Gulch, First National Bank, First Interstate Bank in Lead-Deadwood, and Wells Fargo in Spearfish were some of this year’s paintbrush sponsors. NeighborWorks America and South Dakota Housing Development Authority were also sponsors.

“It’s really cool that so many people come to help,” Martinisko said.

According to Cindy Griffin with Northern Hills Federal Credit Union, the bank, as well as Wells Fargo, has been helping with Paint the Town since day one and the many projects has resulted in many memories, and even some near accidents.

“It’s really rewarding,” Griffin said, adding that they are often able to maintain the relationships with the homeowners even after the house is painted.

“It’s a good community project and it really makes a small community nice,” Wells Fargo President Paul Bisson said. “You don’t see this in big communities.”

Larry Griffin has been helping for five years and now, thanks to his dedication, sits on the board of directors for NeighborWorks and was nominated for the Dorothy Richardson Award as recognition for his volunteerism and community involvement. This is his second year on the board of directors.

“This is what I enjoy doing,” Larry said. “Getting out and doing the work. It’s a lot of fun and you make a lot of friends. We’re helping people who don’t have the means to do the work.”

Larry said he often sees past homeowners who they have helped in the store and they will stop and talk to him, carrying on those relationships past the completion of the project.

REVIVE FIVE IS REVIVING RAPID CITY COMMUNITY

The first week of June kicked off NeighborWorks® Week.   Volunteers throughout the Northern Hills communities scraped and painted homes, cleaned up neighborhoods, swapped plants, and engaged in multiple community activities.  This year also included Revive Five. 

Revive Five was the result of five Western South Dakota residents attending the NeighborWorks® America Community Leadership Institute (CLI). The Community Leadership Institute is an invitation-only, three-day training event that aims to strengthen the voices and skills of community, resident and volunteer leaders. The CLI is a vehicle for learning and a forum for discussing community issues and sharing best practices and solutions to the problems faced by low- to moderate-income residents. Each CLI has a general theme determined by a team of resident coordinators. At the end of every CLI, each participating team creates an action plan so they can effectively bring the knowledge they gained at the CLI back to their communities and use it to affect positive change.  Revive Five was the challenge that the attendees created to implement in their communities. 

The Challenge of Revive Five is to impact five homes within visible sight of each another, utilizing intergenerational partnerships, to make a positive visible impact on the neighborhood and community.   The end result will improve the appearance of five homes, increase neighborhood pride and bring the community together. 

NeighborWorks® long-term goal is to implement Revive Five in five communities within in the next five years, but for now the project has begun with five homes in Rapid City. Volunteers from the Rapid City Police Department assisted in the selection process of determining what homes could utilize this service.  Five homes throughout the College Park neighborhood were selected. 

Wedsenday, June 20^th, Sargent Chris DeGroote, Senior Officer Ron Terviel, Lemmon Avenue Block Club President John Hagg, and 16-year-old Fernando Suliveres gathered at Rose Suliveres home on Lemmon Avenue.  The team of volunteers began replacing and building new steps for her home.  Rose stated that she was very thankful for Revive Five and NeighborWorks®. “ Without this program I would not have been able to do these repairs.” Rose stated.   Rose’s home is greatly in need of new stucco, a fresh coat of paint, and new steps. “ I have fallen down those steps multiple times, one time I had to crawl inside before I could pull myself back up. Having new steps will make my home much more safe.” Rose stated.

Volunteers from Bank West, Rapid City Police Department, Ketel Thorstensen, Ellsworth Pol Kats  & College Park Block  finished one Revive Five home on Blain Avenue, by painting the home and removing a fence.  Professional contractors will complete rehab on the three of the five homes throughout the College Park Neighborhood, and a professional tree trimmer will improve the landscaped one of the five homes.  NeighborWorks America, NeighborWorks Dakota Home Resources, and South Dakota Housing Development Authority provide funding for Revive Five.

Although Revive Five was designed to improve five homes in one neighborhood, NeighborWorks® offers home rehab assistance for homeowners throughout Western South Dakota. NeighborWorks® Dakota Home Resources is a private, non-profit organization that works to assist families with their dream of homeownership and revitalize communities to improve the quality of life. Through partnerships with NeighborWorks America, South Dakota Housing Development Authority and USDA Rural Development, NeighborWorks® Dakota Home Resources receives funding to provide rehab assistance to low to moderate-income families. The rehab program offers assistance and a variety of programs for homeowners.

For more information on the Home Rehab Assistance, Revive Five or any other programs that NeighborWorks Dakota Resources, offers please contact Stephany at 605-578-1401 or visit us on the web at www.neighborworksdhr.org

Homeownership Provides Continuity for Family

Chris Hermensen and Tiffany Winkelman have had a lot to celebrate during the month of May.  The couple purchased their first home together and gave birth to their daughter, Amillia. 

Affordable housing seems to be nearly impossible to find in Rapid City, but thanks to local organization, NeighborWorks® Dakota Home Resources, homeownership was made possible for the young couple.  Chris and Tiffany finished moving into their home and two days later gave birth to their baby girl

The couple began looking for a home last September.  One of Chris’s co-workers suggested that they look into NeighborWorks® Dakota Home Resources. 

NeighborWorks® Dakota Home Resources is a non-profit organization that helps families with low to moderate incomes purchase homes.  NeighborWorks® offers free homebuyer education and down-payment and closing cost assistance.  NeighborWorks® also has a home rehab and construction department.  The home that Chris and Tiffany purchased was a complete rehab constructed by NeighborWorks® Dakota Home Resources.

NeighborWorks® purchased 713 Lemmon the spring of 2011 by utilizing Neighborhood Stabilization funds (NSP).  NSP was established through congress’s Housing and Economic Recovery Act (HERA) to help stabilize communities and neighborhoods in the wake of the foreclosure crisis.  Thanks to these funds, NeighborWorks® was able to purchase a foreclosed abandoned lot, and rebuild a new single family home in order to create an affordable home for a family. 

 “The main reason we decided on this house, was because of the neighborhood. When Doris showed us the home, Officer Ron Terviel was patrolling the street.  We knew that our family would be safe here,” Chris explained. 

In 2009, NeighborWorks® Dakota Home Resources partnered with the Rapid City Police Department and created the Lemmon Avenue Block Club. Since then, Lemmon Avenue has been transformed into a Community of Choice.  The couple’s new neighborhood has a community garden, a nearby park, and great neighbors.  “The neighbors have already introduced themselves to us,” Chris stated.  

Chris looked at multiple apartments throughout Rapid City, but in the end owning a home was very comparable if not more affordable than renting. “…we don’t have worry about a land lord eventually telling us we have to move out, this home is 100% ours,” Chris affirmed.

 For now the couple is busy with their 5 week year old baby, but Chris stated that he has a list projects to accomplish on his home before the summer is over. 

If you would like more information on NeighborWorks® Dakota Home Resources or affordable housing options you can contact NeighborWorks® at 605-578-1401 or visit their website at www.NeighborWorks®dhr.org