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A voluntary labor of love in Simi
Home Depot workers redo Boys & Girls Club gym
Brad Huizenga of Simi Valley, above, uses an extender to paint the interior of the gym Thursday at the Boys & Girls Club in Simi Valley. At left, Jamie Robbins and Raul Martinez help Home Depot volunteers with the project.
Photos by Rob Varela / Star staff
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More from Local NewsSimi Valley resident Marsha Palafox carefully peeled off the blue painting tape that surrounded the outlets and windows in the gymnasium at the Boys & Girls Club in Simi Valley.
It was a painstaking task, removing it from each wall in the 7,200-square-foot gymnasium. But it was a labor of love for Palafox and 11 other volunteers from Home Depot in Simi Valley.
The volunteers helped paint the gymnasium on Lemon Drive that is used by many of the 10,000 children, ages 6 to 18, who frequent the facility.
"It's all for the kids," Palafox said as she removed the tape Thursday afternoon, revealing the newly painted walls.
Palafox said her now-grown kids once used the gymnasium, which is home to sports, dances and other events.
Kathryn Gallagher, senior manager of communications for Home Depot, said the painting project was funded through a grant from the Home Depot Foundation.
"The Home Depot provides financial support, materials and numerous volunteers for play-space projects across North America as part of its ongoing commitment to give back to the communities its stores serve," Gallagher said.
Francisco Segura, facilities manager at the Boys & Girls Club, said he was grateful to get the call from Home Depot. Children from the Simi club have been using the gym since 1996.
"We really needed a lot of help," Segura said. "It's a lot of work involved, and it's hard to do ourselves."
Home Depot employee Kathi Mattern said that even though the gym is large, it didn't seem like too much work.
"The kids will have a nice place to play," she said.
Simi Valley resident Devon Stewart, 13, joined his mother, Jamie Robbins, a Home Depot employee, early in the morning to help.
"It's going to be very cool. I can't wait to see it finished. It really needs new paint," Devon said as he grabbed a paintbrush.
"The kids here really deserve a nice place to play," Robbins said.
"It's a great way to spend the day."
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