In recognition of its 50th year in business, Hester Painting & Decorating of Skokie volunteered to paint the interior of Maryville’s Center for Children, which houses the Crisis Nursery and the Children’s Healthcare Center. These two groundbreaking programs provide social services and medical care to children and families in need.
On Jan. 6-7, Hester had a team of 47 painters and management staff, led by Senior Project Manager Jim Guthrie, give the interior a new look. The work included painting the walls and ceilings in the newly built entrance lobby, the dining area, a few meeting rooms, and the office corridors, including all the doors and frames in fun, bright colors. Hester Painting & Decorating secured a donation of 50 gallons of paint from Sherwin-Williams. Calumet Paint & Wallpaper and Benjamin Moore provided all the sundries needed.
Rather than throw themselves a party, President Steve Hester says, they decided to give back. “We thought it would be better to celebrate by giving back to the community that has helped us build and sustain our business for 50 years.
“This facility provides an amazing service and we wanted to help create a welcoming atmosphere for families in crisis,” Steve Hester says.
The Crisis Nursery provides emergency child care for children up to age 6. The nursery also sponsors parent support programs. The Children’s Healthcare Center provides transitional medical care for children with complex medical needs. The center helps children and families make a safe transition from hospital to home.
“We are grateful to Hester Painting & Decorating and all the volunteers,” says Sister Catherine M. Ryan, Maryville’s executive director. “This generous gesture shows our families they do not have to go it alone, they are surrounded by a community that cares.”
Vice President Jeff Hester reflects, “It was heartwarming to see how many of our team volunteered their time to make this wonderful facility more inviting, welcoming and uplifting for the families who are bringing their children there. It was very emotional for our volunteers to hear from Sister Catherine M. Ryan about the children and families that this facility serves and how much our work means to them.”