For handyperson Alisha Furlong, the job has never been about the paycheck. It’s about family, a value that’s led her not only through major career moves but into neighborhoods across the Greater Dayton area, where she shares a little community with every curb she paints.

Born and raised in Huber Heights, Furlong got her start in the Florida corporate world, later moving into home services to support her family as a single mother. Coming home to Huber, Furlong continued in handy work until health issues required her to stop working.

That’s when, at 50, she decided to go back to school, entering Sinclair’s IT program in 2022. It’s also around the same time she picked up curb painting.

“What became evident is people didn't want plain [numbers on a white background] … they wanted customization,” Furlong said. “​​I'm willing as long as it's not hateful.”

For Furlong, the design choice is less important than her clients’ excitement — or the community she’s seen built through her work.

As neighbors have come together to request stencils or form connections over shared interests, Furlong has realized her coats of paint add more than just a little beauty to a piece of concrete. It creates a sense of joy and community.

“It's hard out there,” Furlong said. “It's hard and we need a little bit of happy. We need some way to look and realize our neighbors are humans and … we probably have something in common.”

Painting curbs has simply been the way Furlong has learned to express that, bringing a little color and a big personality into every home she works at.

Furlong can be reached by text at (937) 980-3034. Orders begin at $20 per curb.