Stuart Parker, chief financial officer of the perennially struggling Bogalusa YMCA, was happy this week as he received a gift that is also recurring.

“Every year, Davis Products strips and recoats our gym floor,” he said. “They do it as a donation, and the floor looks like glass whenever they finish.”

On top of helping the non-profit YMCA, the donation also provides the opportunity for free experience.

Early Tuesday, Davis Products owner Charlie Weintritt was offering instruction.

“We do this as a training class for whichever school is interested,” he said. “This time it’s Pearl River Community College.”

Marie Bowden, PRCC custodial supervisor, said the school has been working in partnership with Weintritt for more than 30 years and that it’s helped do the job at the Avenue B YMCA for at least three years.

A group of nearly a dozen PRCC custodians huddled around Weintritt as he demonstrated the use of a piece of equipment.

“It gives everybody an opportunity to have hands-on experience putting down varnish, tack floor and sanding, whatever needs to be done for the gym floor,” Bowden said. “It’s great experience, the best you can have.”

She said he was grateful the custodians got the opportunity to learn and to help the community at the same time.

Parker was grateful, too.

“We’re just appreciative that one of Bogalusa’s merchants wants to give back in this way,” he said. “He gets two things—training for the school and we benefit here because we get the new floor. We appreciate those who give back to the community.”