Bille Bedord was in a jovial mood Saturday morning as he worked on Jan Neal's 1965 mobile home in Coeur d'Alene.

He was having fun while getting things done, and he had the sawdust on his arms and spectacles to prove it.

"That's the whole spirit of the operation," said Bedord, who is a cook with the food ministry at Lake City Community Church. "We enjoy it."

Bedord and his team of five painted the body of Neal's home while cutting and painting wood for a new trim. The team worked in conjunction with five other teams throughout Coeur d'Alene, Hayden and Post Falls for Habitat for Humanity's inaugural "Impact Day."

"I so appreciate this," Neal said. Her schnauzer, Matty, was also happy to have guests. "The volunteers are just so nice and they like what they're doing."

Impact Day utilizes volunteer teams from businesses, service organizations and churches to provide one-day home repairs for low-income homeowners who need a helping hand. The event focuses on helping the elderly, veterans, those with disabilities and single-parent households and requires applications beforehand from those needing services.

"They told me that I qualify, so here they are," Neal said, smiling. Lake City Community Church, US Bank, Coeur d'Alene Rotary, American West Bank,

Washington Trust Bank, Lake City Community Church and BankCDA/Post Falls Rotary each had teams working on exterior home tasks, landscaping, door replacements, bathroom repairs and several other projects to assist with the health and happiness of each individual or family whose house needed a touch up.

The US Bank team of 10 rebuilt and painted the backyard decks for an older woman who has been struggling with the upkeep of her home because of medical issues. The team members rolled up their sleeves, climbed on ladders and stretched their arms through railings to paint every inch a translucent blue.

"It's a great day for it, not too hot, not too cold," said Robin Howell, who works in US Bank's service center. "It feels good that we're helping someone and working with this group of people."

US Bank operations manager and team captain Don Nolan said the team's availability is possible because US Bank pays its employees to volunteer for a certain amount of hours each year.

"People who are on an hourly pay, to volunteer during their normal shift, they would be giving up pay to volunteer and US Bank steps in and says, 'If you want to be involved in the community, we'll pay you at your hourly rate to do that,' which is great," Nolan said. "We're trying to up our involvement in the community."

Habitat volunteer coordinator Katrina Boyer said she felt the more than 50 volunteers who pitched in made Impact Day's debut a win for the community. The event is somewhat of an extension of the Brush With Kindness program, which Habitat facilitates to help eligible homeowners continue to live in safe and decent homes for years to come.

"It was a way for us to engage more volunteer groups and help more families," Boyer said, adding that Habitat is hoping to assist 30 families this year, "which is the most families we've ever served."

"They're so grateful," she said. "It's amazing to see someone who has so much on their plate, on their to-do list, and it's such a weight lifter, such a burden lifted."

Boyer said she is hoping to organize an Impact Day for the fall and make it a biannual event. She also remarked that each team did a phenomenal job getting tasks accomplished for those who needed it.

"It gives them some encouragement, some stamina to get something else done on their list," she said. "This was a great success."

Info: 762-4663, Ext. 2.