A GIFT OF BRIGHT COLORS INSPIRE KIDS AT PLAY

Mark Estrada and Zach Lovett have worked together since high school. They initially chose the “school of hard knocks” path to success. The duo temporarily disbanded after high school, but it wouldn't be long before they joined back up. Zach served in the US Air Force and Mark was land surveying.

In 2005, while painting handicap symbols for extra cash, Zach saw a bigger opportunity and got a loan from family to buy a striping machine," said Estrada, Senior VP, and Co-Founder of Marathon Solutions Group.

"The first year in business, we made many mistakes, we were trying to figure out what we had on our hands and how to develop it,” said Lovett. They were determined to grow and operate a small business. First, implementing line drivers and lasers on all projects, and then taking the leap of faith purchasing paving equipment. Their determination paid off, and now it's paying back into their community.

"It started with a call from a local elementary school (Lakewood Elementary, Tomball ISD)," Estrada recounted. "Their Parent-Teacher Organization did some DIY markings on concrete, and wanted it removed.

They were discouraged by the years of built-up chipping paint and the lack of texture. It was a quick blasting job. Afterward, we noticed there wasn’t much color. No hard scapes. Schools usually have something colorful, something vibrant that beautifies it. We knew what we had to do.”

"You introduce creativity, and something magical starts to happen, Imaginations get ignited," Estrada said.

They approached the school about donating their time and materials for their playground. After considering several different designs, the school gave them the green light. At first, they installed a colorful number chart and a basketball court alongside brightly shaded four-square court spaces. "They loved it," said Estrada. "I went out there right after school the next day and saw the kids were taking selfies with their parents along the vibrant hard scapes. It was amazing.”

This year, they returned to the school and installed a huge multi-colored stencil of the U.S. map overnight.

Estrada said, "They ended up using the map as part of their curriculum in the classroom lessons. It was incredible."

The overall map shape was a stencil, but the inside lines showing each state were trickier. "That's when we had to use our artistic skills and customize every little niche. We used an unfamiliar anti-skid made of ground glass, and the final product is very robust and vibrant.”

Kids were excited by and curious about how the map was made, so due to the heartfelt donation by Marathon Solutions Group, they may have seeded the interest of the next generation of striping professionals!

Estrada said, “The little details make all the difference.” ■

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GOOD NEIGHBOR RUNNERS UP Kevin Gray, ADC Paving, (Louisville, KY)

Shonda Decker, Affordable Striping & Sealing, LLC (Las Vegas, NV)