A friendly coat of paint

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LARAINE WESCHLER Friendly’s Assistant Manager Patti Funk, kneeling down, and Assistant Director of the YMCA nursery school Sherri Back paint the YMCA nursery school  classroom Monday morning.
LARAINE WESCHLER Friendly’s Assistant Manager Patti Funk, kneeling down, and Assistant Director of the YMCA nursery school Sherri Back paint the YMCA nursery school classroom Monday morning.

NAUGATUCK — After a flood from a hail storm a few weeks ago destroyed the carpet and walls of the nursery school at the YMCA, employees from Friendly’s in Naugatuck volunteered to put the room back together.

“There’s been a lot of damage throughout the building. This room just really needed a paint job,” said Sherri Back, assistant director of the nursery school.

According to nursery school Director Laurie Caruso, water came pouring through the ceiling and the carpet had to be pulled out.

Luckily, school was not in session, but the YMCA had to lay down floor mats for students from summer who use the room during inclement weather.

Employees from the restaurant, led by General Manager Melissa Brannen, descended on the room Monday morning, paintbrushes at the ready.

“Thank god that they’re children and they won’t know our painting really sucks,” Brannen joked as she struggled to coat the inside of a cubby.

Despite Brannen’s trepidation, the room looked cheery with a fresh layer of blue paint on the walls and brightly colored accents.

Friendly’s put together 140 welcome back to school packs for the children with crayons, ice cream coupons, and bookmarks, Brannen said.