Remember when we told you about the Ghost Painter?

He’s a painting contractor in Edina, Minnesota who made a habit of starting and prepping projects, then disappearing when it was time to finish the work.

Customers were left flummoxed and left in disarray.

“Total hopelessness,” one said to local TV station KARE-11. ”I had spoken to an attorney and was basically told that money was gone and to take it as a lesson learned.”

This week saw the arrival of the cavalry, and it came from the painting community.

Mike Kelly, the owner of That 1 Painter in the Twin Cities, saw the report on KARE-11 and was disappointed that the Ghost Painter was tarnishing the reputation of the painting contractors everywhere.

“We’re really working on becoming a part of the community and representing contractors in a positive light,” said That 1 Painter’s regional director, Olivia Snyder.

Knowing the customer had already lost their original payment, Kelly volunteered to do the work pro bono. “So we didn’t charge anything, we just came in and did it out of the kindness of our heart to really show there are good painters out there who really do quality work and are responsible.”

Amazingly, he wasn’t the only local contractor who tried to make it right with an offer of free labor.

The Gathering of Minnesota Painters is a group of about 400 Minnesota painting contractors who regularly meet and discuss business as well as how to give back to their community. The story of the Ghost Painter naturally became a topic of conversation, and group members put up their hand to help.

Among them was Nick Slavik.  “If we do this over and over and over again, maybe we can dispel the stigma of the trades,” Slavik told KARE-11.

Sadly, one contractor who confirms a negative stereotype can mean dozens of conversations with potential customers who saw the TV report.

If you read this story and would like to help out your local community, you can find ideas and support at Paint It Forward.