BELLE ISLE, Fla. – Every year, city leaders in Belle Isle organize a spring community service project and this year they're helping paint a senior resident's home.
Volunteers spent their Saturday morning giving Dave Harmsworth's home a fresh coat of yellow paint. The homeowner has lived in the house on Machett Road for 20 years.
"Wow, it's looking good," Harmsworth said as he walked around his home.
Harmsworth said most of the volunteers were strangers to him.
"It's very nice of you to come out," he said to a volunteer.
City leaders organized the spring community service project. Harmsworth said he has volunteered on past service projects. He was shocked to learn he was going to be on the receiving end of a much needed helping hand.
"[The police chief] said, 'How would you like to have your house painted?' I said, 'OK!'"
Mayor Lydia Pisano and Chief Laura Houston worked together to get results and called on volunteers to help out. They also worked with the local Ace Hardware, who donated the paint and supplies, as well as A1 Septic who pressure washed the home.
Pisano said this is the least they could do.
"We just want to make things happen and make things better and help our residents feel excited about their home," Pisano said.
Harmsworth said he planned to paint his house this year, but it would have been hard to do on his own. He said he is grateful to those who came out.
The volunteers said they're happy to give their time to a neighbor by not only making his house look better, but also beautifying the city.
As the paint dried on his home, Harmsworth said he can't help but think ahead and is already making plans to pay this good deed forward.
"Makes me feel like helping somebody else again," he said.