Now that summer is just around the corner, it is time to consider a wonderful way to add more color to our community. Driving our roads, you may notice that every now and then, someone has painted their mailbox. You might see polka dots, or flowers, or birds, or just one bold color. But you notice, right? It grabs my attention and always makes me smile. Yes! Out with the boring, molding, uninteresting silver or black boxes.

Imagine a row of mailboxes, each with a different design or color. I can hear the conversation now. “I have the polka dot mailbox.” “Turn left at the bright blue mailbox.” “When you see the row of painted mailboxes, you know you are in the right neighborhood.” “I think the Lisabeula mailboxes are far more interesting than the ones in Dilworth.” We could have contests for which neighborhood sports the most interesting mailboxes.

Perhaps your son or daughter is looking for a summer painting project. Perfect! Just head uptown for a few small cans of paint, and enjoy working on a long-lasting art project together. Soon their friends will be begging their parents to do the same. Young artists can thrive with outside art.

And, of course, this simply adds support and assistance to our mail carriers, who can remember whose box is whose, once they grow accustomed to the beautifully painted boxes all over the island. It certainly would make their job a little more interesting.

So now is the time to dig deep into your imagination. Consider how you would like your mailbox to be transformed. Bright yellow? Your favorite bird? Your favorite flower, or tree? And just think, you could change it next year. Each year could have a new theme.

Vashon’s mailboxes will become notorious. Enjoy, and happy painting.

— Beth White