
Gerda, an 85-year old widow who is legally blind and had a heart attack two and a half years ago, is not one to let adversity hold her back or become idle. After leaving Germany for America during WWII at the age of 19, she kept herself busy over the years working jobs in customer service, taking care of Alzheimer’s patients, and even repairing computer parts for Hewlett Packard.
This self-sufficiency and pride in her work has carried over to this day. Even though Macular Degeneration has taken most of her sight and she has to use a walker to get around, Gerda still mops her kitchen floor by herself.
While she takes pride in keeping the interior of her home clean, her failing eye-sight prevented her from noticing that the exterior needed a bit of work too. Several months ago, Gerda received a letter from her homeowners association, letting her know that it was time to paint her home – the place where she has lived for 23 years, since it was first built. Receiving this notice prompted her to apply to Paint The Town™.
A team from Zions Bank was selected to paint Gerda’s house. They also did many repairs and her house was good as new when they left.
“They were the most kind, extraordinary and beautiful human beings I’ve ever met,” she said with sincerity. “He brought three girls, the youngest was 5 years old, and they planted flowers. They were big helpers!”