A team of 250 future farmers fixed up four houses in Macon. They painted, patched up some electrical work, and replaced siding. They were in town for a statewide convention and teamed up with Rebuilding Macon as part of their community service.
The Future Farmers of America rolled in on two school buses, climbed ladders, and slapped on a fresh coat of paint to a house that belongs to Dianne Scales.
"I painted some siding and the trim," says 16-year-old Johnny Saluson, from Locust Grove High School in Henry County.
Cole Gardner from the same school added, "I painted the top of the house and some of the trimming on the front porch."
Out of 400 houses, Rebuilding Macon chose about 300 to repair.
About 250 volunteers signed up to fix four houses. That means they had to divide and conquer. About 40 people were at the house on Sanford Avenue.
Scales has lived in the neighborhood for 64 years.
"I've been able to do just about everything on it until lately," Scales says. "Heart surgery, five bypasses, so that kind of cuts back on a lot of stuff."
It's a house full of memories that has weathered the test of time.
"It means everything to me, really. It was the first one of the street and I just grew up with everybody I know. The whole neighborhood was everyone you know. But all that's changed, but still, it's home," she says.
And her home was put in the hands of 14 to 18-year-olds from Henry County and Hiawassee, Georgia.
"A ton of us come from all parts of Georgia to Macon. It's important for us to give back to Macon, to thank them for allowing us to come down here," says Jeannie Bradley, a senior at Towns County High School in Hiawassee.
It takes about 110 gallons of fresh paint to coat four houses.
Rebuilding Macon repaired 309 homes last year. Executive Director, Debra Rollins, says they plan on fixing more this year.
This Saturday, they're working on twenty more houses. The 13WMAZ team will work on one of them.
For more information, check out their website.
