Friday, September 15, 2000

Office workers roll up sleeves for good cause

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By Ray Schaefer
Enquirer Contributor

        COVINGTON — Ann Leibson knew little about interior painting before Thursday.

        Ms. Leibson is one of 14 employees from Ethicon Endo-Surgery in Blue Ash who took up brushes and rollers at Brighton Center's Homeward Bound facility on East 20th Street.

At Brighton Center in Covington, Ethicon Endo-Surgery Inc. workers Rochelle Muse (left), Amy Coleman and Jacob Drapkin donated their time Thursday for Community Care Week. (Patrick Reddy photo) | ZOOM |

        It was part of the 14th annual Community Care Week, which matches volunteers from companies with United Way-funded agencies through Saturday.

        “This is the most physical work I've done,” said Ms. Leibson, a franchise director at Ethicon's breast care department.

        “This is great. I'm thrilled with what I've learned about the organization.”

        Shara Clark, a United Way communications associate, said the Brighton Center project was one of more than 90 to be completed by Saturday at nearly 50 agencies.

        Some projects involve cleaning, painting or landscaping; while at others, personal items such as shampoo, toothpaste and diapers were collected.

        “We couldn't be happier,” said Barb Kruze, Brighton Center's volunteer coordinator.

        “When the kids (served at the center) come back, they won't know the place.”

        Gloria Gonzalez, director of Ethicon's breast care department, said five other departments at her company were involved in work on other Community Care projects, but it was the first time her group had done anything.

        “In past years, there were conflicts that didn't allow us to get involved,” Ms. Gonzalez said. “This year, all the stars were aligned, so to speak.”

        Thursday's work at Brighton Center involved applying taupe-colored paint to the boys and girls dormitory. Ethicon Endo-Surgery employees did the cleaning and painting, and Firstar Center employees put together packages of personal items.

        The Ethicon workers had various levels of expertise with paintbrushes. Ms. Leibson painted the corners with her 2-inch brush and learned that her work was called “cutting in.”

        “It's what I called trimming,” Ms. Leibson said.

        Marketing director Doug Ladd was almost as inexperienced. He was the “high roller” who painted the tops of the walls until ...

        “They took it away,” he said. “They thought somehow it's supposed to look better.”

        The painting took about four hours to finish, and the workers said they wouldn't mind doing something like it again next year.

        “It's the right thing to do,” said Jacob Drapkin, the department's director of reimbursement services. “If you can support the community, you should.”
       

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