“More than anything, this project demonstrated the power of community connection.”
At Dunn Lumber, we're lucky to have customers who are passionate about giving back to the community. Because when we come together to help one another, the ripple effect is undeniable. Today, we’re shining some well-deserved light on a recent project led by longtime customer Scott Tenhulzen, founder and president of Tenhulzen Painting & Construction. This spring, Tenhulzen Painting & Construction rallied a team of vendors, including Dunn Lumber, to donate materials and lots of labor to refurbish the Progressive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) Lynnwood campus, where wild animals are rehabilitated and returned to their natural habitats. Let’s dive in.
A legacy of integrity
For Scott Tenhulzen, staying rooted in relationships is something he learned from a young age, watching his parents run their own construction business. “I think part of what inspires us is giving back and using our skill sets to help the community,” Scott says. “That desire started with watching my parents treat their team, customers, and vendors right. It’s about consistency and following through on expectations.” This philosophy of integrity fuels the mission of his business—and its commitment to supporting a greater cause whenever possible.
Scott’s passion for giving back extends into his participation in his local community, where he serves as a member of the Mill Creek Rotary Club. As a member, he often hears about organizations in need of remodeling support—that’s how he started his relationship with PAWS. Back in 2007, Tenhulzen Painting & Construction donated labor to paint all of the exterior buildings of another PAWS Lynnwood facility. “It was just a really cool project,” Scott recalls. “Roughly 28 painting companies came together for this awesome community.”
Stepping up for PAWS
Eighteen years later, PAWS faced a challenging situation. Due to an upcoming remodel at one of its facilities, the organization needed to temporarily move its team into a 2,000-square-foot office space in Lynnwood to continue rehabilitating animals. But the office space was too dilapidated to be used safely—and due to the remodel timeline, PAWS needed help refurbishing the space fast. When the PAWS senior director of philanthropy reached out to the Mill Creek Rotary Club for help, Scott stepped up. “I thought, ‘We could rock this. We can make this happen,’” Scott says. “I immediately reached out to anyone I knew who had been philanthropic with us in the past or who would be interested in helping out with this cause.”
Three days, five teams, one mission
Once Scott’s team was assembled, day one kicked off with all hands on deck, starting with a team of 12 Tenhulzen Construction Divisions' carpenters removing cabinets and shelves, repairing walls, and performing drywall repairs. On day two, things really started to move. “We recruited a total of 31 painters from five painting companies,” Scott says. “And the morning of, it was so exciting! I rolled in and there were already paint vans lined up early and ready to go.” Paint—generously donated by Rodda Miller Paint—along with sundries and supplies, was staged in the lobby ready for each team. “We had everything we needed to do our walk-through, label everything with the appropriate paint colors, and go. It was incredible what we did in just half a day. We then finished up the painting portion of the project with the remainder of the day.”
On the third day, Builders Interiors laid new flooring throughout the facility. “We chose LVP luxury vinyl plank flooring with a vinyl base,” Scott said. “We needed flooring that would be appropriate for the space—nothing porous, minimal seams, and easily cleanable since surgeries would be happening here. It also had to hold up to dog nails, cat nails, and even bear claws!”
Proof that together, we can do anything
With that, the project was complete. What began as a shared vision to support a beloved local organization had transformed into a fully realized space—warm, welcoming, and worthy of the crucial work PAWS does every day. The journey wasn’t just about renovations. It was about rallying together to create a lasting impact for the staff and their mission. “The folks at PAWS were just blown away that we were able to pull this off,” Scott recalls. “Their tears of joy filled our hearts. It was just truly incredible to see all the staff walk through with looks of awe and excitement on their faces for their new space. It was really moving.”
More than anything, this project demonstrated the power of community connection—and showed how when we help one another, we all benefit. “It was so cool to see the community come together and see what we can accomplish together,” Scott notes. “It’s a really good feeling and truly rewarding to do good deeds in the world.”
Thanks to the members of our building community who contributed to this fantastic project:
Tenhulzen Painting & Construction
Painting Contractors Association: Washington State Council
Read more community stories on our blog, with articles like Community Spotlight: Restoring Homes and Hope with Gaspar’s and Rebuilding Together Seattle and Community Spotlight: Sawhorse Revolution.
