Neighborhood in Cape gets a fresh coat of paint

On Saturday, volunteers will take to the streets of Cape Girardeau with paintbrushes in hand.

"Fresh Paint Cape" is a new event organized by volunteers from the Baptist Student Union at Southeast Missouri State University. The group got the idea from similar projects in Cleveland and Baltimore where volunteers select a block of homes and restore them with a new coat of paint.

After approval and coordination from Cape Girardeau City Hall, the group was assigned to paint six houses in the 500 block of S. Benton St.

These homes along the west side of the street all need paint and are the homes of low income residents, said assistant to the city manager Heather Brooks.

Bob Houchins is the campus minister and director of the Baptist Student Union. He thinks fresh paint is a relatively low-cost way to give an area a whole new attitude.

"You can just imagine the way it's going to influence lives because we're doing it as a free service. Typically that area of town gets little attention and has a great need," he said.

Houchins said he hopes to get as many as 70 to 85 volunteers. All are welcome to the event, which will begin in the morning. BSU is a student group with 300 total members and about 150 active members.

Look for more on this story in tomorrow's Southeast Missourian or check back at www.semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 245