MARYSVILLE – Every farm should have a white-picket fence around it – it’s the American Way.

But the Equine Horse Rez-Q had a flaky, dingy grayish fence around it – until Friday.

About 12 employees of Keysight Technologies in Everett scraped off the old paint, what was left of it, and put on a fresh coat of white during Day of Caring Sept. 15.

It was one of six projects that took place in Arlington and Marysville that day.

The company has been coming every year since 1981, and John Guilford said he’s volunteered to take part in 20 to 25 of those years.

Guilford, who was nailing up plywood to repair a rotted horse stall, said he likes to work outside. He appreciates that his company allows workers to volunteer like that “on work time. Keysight is like that,” he added.

Michael Maddock and Jim Litz were fixing up a rotted wooden grandstand. “It might have been easier to start from scratch,” Litz admitted.

Jan Lengenfelder retired from the company 11 years ago. But at this firm they keep in touch of their alumni through Google. Lengenfelder said she saw the group was going to be volunteering today, so she decided to join them.

“They take good care of their people,” she said of Keysight.

Stefan Titus is comparatively new to the company, having been there two years. He said he likes getting out from behind his keyboard and working with his hands.

“I like the idea of my employer volunteering my time” to help others, he said.

Volunteer teams, organized by local companies, completed projects for nonprofit agencies that often lack resources to tackle the jobs. The other local projects for the 24th annual Snohomish County United Way Day of Caring were:

•Housing Hope’s Retention Pond, 19406 86th Ave. NE, Arlington, removed stumps and debris.

•Cocoon House’s Maternity Group Home, 521 East Highland Drive, Arlington, did yard work.

•Twin Lakes Landing, Lakewood, removed blackberry bushes.

•Marysville YMCA, landscaping.

•Maud’s House, restored three garden beds, 615 Cedar Ave.