by Adam OLeary

Andrew Toole knows what it’s like to be in need. When Toole moved to Denver 17 years ago, he didn’t know a soul, have a job or know how he would support himself. “When moving to the States, my mother asked me what I was going to do without a degree from University. I told her. ‘Mom, I’m not scared to chat and I’m not afraid of hard work’”, Toole says. “That attitude has worked for me all my life.” Finding work was difficult without friends or family near, but he found odd jobs while never landing anything consistent. He struggled mightily but continued to work hard at everything he did. Eventually, he realized he was in control of his own success.

Andrew, who hails from County Meath, and a few friends caught the entrepreneurial bug and started a business, Ireland’s Finest Painting Company in 1994. As with most small businesses, they initially struggled to get Ireland’s Finest established and fought tooth and nail for every job they won. Andrew’s partners have since moved on to different endeavors, but Andrew continues to lead Ireland’s Finest and makes it the success it is today.

This fall Ireland’s Finest launched its “Hard Times, Soft Hearts” contest. The contest encourages people in the Denver area to nominate worthy candidates through the Ireland’s Finest website to win a free house painting. “We realize people that have fallen on hard times in this economy,” Andrew says. “We want to give back to the community that has been so good to us over the last 17 years.”

Nominees could be families or individuals that are low-income residents, give selflessly back to their community or have lost their jobs. “There are so many worthy people here in our neighborhoods, so picking a winner will be a really tough decision,” Andrew says.
Ireland’s Finest will provide all the labor and equipment for the job, while Benjamin Moore, who is a sponsoring partner, will provide the paint. There will be no cost whatsoever to the winning homeowner.
The contest will accept nominations through January 31st, 2012 on the Ireland’s Finest website at www.irelandsfinestinc.com/contest. The actual painting of the winner’s house will take place in the spring of 2012.