Since beginning 15 years ago, Seniors in Action for God with Excellence has made a difference in communities locally, nationally and internationally.
Recently, nine SAGE volunteers from the Pacific Northwest, with an average age of 70, traveled to Battle Creek, Mich., to paint buildings at the Historic Adventist Village.
The SAGE volunteers — who frequently help schools, churches and ministries with painting, construction or landscaping projects — pressure-washed and scraped the walls, and masked windows and doors in record time.
Mike Altman, master painter and volunteer from Hillsboro, Ore., shipped his spray-painting rig ahead of the project and quickly painted the prepared exterior walls. The buildings were painted a creamy, off-white color which the painters dubbed “Ellen White.”
Garth Stoltz, village curator, identified seven additional buildings for the group to paint. In all, SAGE volunteers painted 11 buildings including the 1857 replicated Meeting House, the Parkville Church and a large 19th-century barn.
In recognition of SAGE’s contribution to the community, the Battle Creek Enquirer published a front-page article with pictures of the “amazing Sages from the Northwest.”
“This is a part of our Adventist Heritage,” Robert Grady, SAGE president, told the Enquirer. “I’ve taken a keen interest in it and so have our people. They are all interested in seeing this village developed.”
Bob Jones, from Battle Ground, Wash., scrapes old paint off a building at Battle Creek's Historic Adventist Village.
Roger Weller, from Auburn, Wash., works with SAGE volunteers to prepare a building for painting in the Historic Adventist Village.
Von Rogers, from Vancouver, Wash., pressure washes a building in the Historic Adventist Village in preparation for painting.
This structure either needed to be painted or to be torn down, according to the City of Battle Creek, Mich. Thanks to SAGE volunteers, this building is now painted and still standing.
Russ Johnson from Idaho scrapes flaking paint in preparation for painting buildings at the Historic Adventist Village.
SAGE volunteers painted several buildings at the Historic Adventist Village in Battle Creek, Mich., including this home in the village neighborhood.
