McDonald first thought of arranging for dinners to be delivered to him. But that wouldn’t work because it was uncertain when or whether Archuleta was going to receive chemotherapy, which could affect both his appetite and schedule.
She began exploring fundraisers to help Archuleta. Then came a phone call from a contractor who wondered whether McDonald would be interested in doing one of Archuleta’s jobs.
That’s when McDonald knew how she could help.
Why not say yes to the job, enlist other faux finishers and give the money to Archuleta? The faux finishing industry in the Kansas City area is small. Competitors know one another, and they often work together on big jobs — and everyone knew Archuleta, who had more than 30 years of decorative painting experience.
So on a warm, brilliant Saturday morning late last month, 11 faux finishers arrived at a Crestwood area home to work their craft on about 300 square feet of ceiling.
They formed teams, working from the perimeter to the center. Songs including “Super Freak,” “Good Vibrations” and “Car Wash” played loud. Dancing erupted on the scaffolds.
And a job that would have taken two people 10 hours was done in two hours.
McDonald gave Archuleta the job’s payment of $2,900 and an album full of photos from that day in Crestwood. He laughed at some photos, and his eyes teared up while looking at others. He asked McDonald, “How can I thank you for doing this?”
Archuleta, 53, died Wednesday — about six weeks after his diagnosis.
His friends on Friday marveled at how everything happened. Everyone was eager to pitch in when the unexpected opportunity to help came up. And in the end, the ceiling looked wonderful, even though it was painted by 11 artists.
“To come together and do the job so cohesive — that’s so rare,” said Sue Hon, one of those who worked on the project.
McDonald, who was with Archuleta when he died, said, “We did right by him.”
The friends now are establishing scholarships in Archuleta’s honor for classes at Surfaces Fine Paint Studio in Lenexa.
McDonald said Archuleta was big on lessons, such as learning from something when a job went awry.
“There was always a lesson out of everything,” McDonald said.
McDonald said she had learned to think of other ways to help others — at the very least an annual volunteer project of some sort.
“I should be doing something every year, not as it comes along,” she said.
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