On September 9th, 2016, COTS’ Veterans’ and Young Adults’ building was filled with the sounds of hammering, the swish of paint brushes, and the hum of drills as volunteers from the Home Depot worked feverishly to overhaul the building. 40 volunteers from around the region came to COTS as part of the Home Depot’s annual Celebration of Service, which included donating $21,000 of product from the Home Depot to complete the project.

“We’ve always stuck true to our values, and one of those values is giving back,” explains Wendy Winters, Store Manager. “For our store associates, they can feel like they get out and make a real difference,” she continues. “This allows us to get out and make an impact outside of the normal of what we do every day in the store.”

Volunteers painted resident bedrooms, installed new mirrors and lights, painted the theater/living skills room, installed new washers and dryers, and more. Residents were thrilled when they returned to their rooms at the end of the day to see the finished product. “I feel they were determined and did a great job in making sure that every room exceeded our expectations,” said one resident. “It just makes you feel comfortable.”

The Home Depot volunteers contributed to our ongoing Campus of Change Campaign, which aims to transform our buildings into a place to call home for our residents.

To learn about our Campus of Change Campaign contact Lindsey at (920) 734-3609 ext. 404 or ldalton@appletoncots.org.