NHS Brushes Up Nebraska

Operation Brush-up-Nebraska is a non-profit organization that helps to connect homeowners, who for various reasons are unable to keep up their houses appearance. Operation Brush-up connects volunteer groups interested in a good deed with those in need. For the last three years, Mt. Michael has been happy to supply its chapter of the National Honor Society for a few hours to touch up a house, and this year was no different.

The house this year was more complicated than in years past, as it was a one and a half story house with a detached garage and a porch, all of which needed to be prepped then painted.

The initial prep work took about 10 to 15 people 2 days to finish, and included, scraping peeling paint off the side of the buildings, weeding , cleaning up trash, priming, trimming, and exterminating, as several wasp nests and various other creatures were found on the premises.

Finally all the members of NHS gathered on Sat. August 21 to paint the house. Students and several Adult supervisors gathered in St. James’s parking lot were group assignments and jobs were handed out. Upon arrival at the house the students gladly partook of donuts donated from Krispy Kreme. After nearly 3 hours of continuous work by nearly 50 people, all the trash was collected, the final weeds painstakingly removed from the fence, the last coat of paint was slapped on, and all the gear was loaded back into the trucks, and the students hunkered down to a lunch of pizza and cookies graciously provided by Old Chicago.

The homeowner returned home to find her house completely clean, and freshly painted, and participated in the group picture at the end. As the final goodbyes were given and the last pizza polished off, the students returned home, with a sense of pride in their accomplishments, to prepare for school the next day.
                                                                                                                     - Article by Tim Agnew