Week 3: Welcoming Peace

By: AT Holder

Debra and Ray Stull



Ray and Debra Stull

Ray Stull was our first, A Brush with Kindness, this year and set the bar very high. Ray was always thanking the volunteers and always made sure to meet every person who came on site. Ray would always tell the volunteers that he used to have the ugliest house on the street but now with their help he has the best looking house around. Ray used to take a back street to his house, which was quicker, but eventually he told us that he would drive out of his way just so he could see the fullness of his house.





In the middle of painting

Towards the end of the project Ray told us that he wrote a letter for us and the volunteers who had been helping us out. He said that he wrote it but had second thoughts so he just ripped it up and threw it away. I encouraged him to write a new one and that the volunteers would love to hear what he had to say and later the same day Ray brought out the letter and gave it to me. When we finally left his house Ray said he would miss us, he told us thanks for everything and lastly, “I feel like a got a new house and some new friends.”


Women Build volunteers about to put
their painting skills to good use on Ray's home