SHARPER IMAGE VOLUNTEERS SPRUCE UP PACOIMA NEIGHBORHOOD.Byline: Susan Abram Staff Writer PACOIMA - Like angels in white T-shirts with paintbrushes paintbrushes see castilleja. and buckets of paint, more than 300 volunteers swooped in on a tiny Wingo Street block early Saturday morning to give nine homes a much-needed image boost. ``I'm filled with happiness,'' said Yudith Zavala, a nine-year resident of Wingo Street, as she stepped outside to inspect her home. Volunteers from local schools, organized under private, nonprofit A corporation or an association that conducts business for the benefit of the general public without shareholders and without a profit motive. Nonprofits are also called not-for-profit corporations. Nonprofit corporations are created according to state law. Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. Neighborhood Housing Services, filled in cracks in the stucco stucco (stŭk`ō), in architecture, a term loosely applied to various kinds of plasterwork, both exterior and interior. It now commonly refers to a plaster or cement used for the external coating of buildings, most frequently employed in and painted her house a cool mint green with white trimming. ``They made it look so clean,'' she said. ``It makes a difference when everything looks so clean.'' As part of the sixth annual Neighborhood Pride project, the Los Angeles Neighborhood Housing Services gathered in Pacoima to paint and spruce up spruce up Verb [sprucing, spruced] to make neat and smart Verb 1. spruce up - make neat, smart, or trim; "Spruce up your house for Spring"; "titivate the child" Wingo. Each year, the agency chooses a neighborhood and holds a block party of sorts, with music, food and camaraderie ca·ma·ra·der·ie n. Goodwill and lighthearted rapport between or among friends; comradeship. [French, from camarade, comrade, from Old French, roommate; see comrade. . Last year it was Pinney Street. The agency's ultimate goal through the project is to promote homeownership and preservation in low- to moderate-income areas of Los Angeles, with the goal of ``building stronger neighborhoods, one block at a time,'' organizers have said. ``They do a great job every year,'' said Sen. Richard Alarcon, D-Van Nuys, who participates in the project each year. ``This is a way for neighborhoods to learn if they all work together, they are giving back to the community.'' Residents like Susana Cruz, whose seashell-pink home was also painted a mint green, said that even one or two nice houses on the block makes a world of differences and encourages others to make a change. ``We're thankful thank·ful adj. 1. Aware and appreciative of a benefit; grateful. 2. Expressive of gratitude: a thankful smile. they remembered this part of Pacoima,'' Cruz said. ``This has helped us.'' Susan Abram, (818) 546-3304 susan.abram(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 3 photos Photo: (1) Nine homes along Wingo Street received new paint jobs and other image boosts Saturday when more than 350 volunteers took part in the sixth annual Neighborhood Pride day. (2) Kids from the youth program Clean and Green help remove large items from Wingo Street as part of Neighborhood Pride. (3) Lauryn Vartanian, 13, of Girl Scout Troop 1444 of Northridge helps out with Neighborhood Pride by painting a house. Jose P. Lugavere/Special to the Daily News |
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