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	Photo by Sam Yu A small army of volunteers gathered at Kerrigan's Corner Deli in Point of Rocks on Saturday afternoon to paint over graffiti on the business that was also the recent victim of an armed robbery. Painting in the foreground are, from front to back, Peter Roebuck of Point of Rocks, Randi Lucero of Point of Rocks, and William Morris of Brunswick.

Instead, customers coming in for breakfast stopped him, promising do the work themselves.

Yesterday, the following Saturday, more than 30 residents of Point of Rocks and elsewhere in Frederick County -- and even several hikers from Washington who spent the night camping -- showed up to lend their support. The entire job, which included rolling out the dropcloths, applying a thick coat of beige paint and cleaning up, took only about half an hour with so many hands.

"I am overwhelmed so many people turned out, I think it's amazing," said Holden, mingling afterward with neighbors who stayed for the deli's free cookout, including fried chicken, hot dogs, hamburgers and lemonade, to commemorate the occasion.

Neighbor Lois Meade, with fresh paint still on her work shirt, said that she put off needed painting at her home to come down to Kerrigan's.

"It's our community, and I ride by here every day," Meade said. "This is important to show support for a local business that we approve of and that has been working very hard to have a positive impact in the community. It's nice to see everyone come out and pitch in a little."

Peter Roebuck of Point of Rocks joked that "it took longer to clean the brushes than it did to paint" with so many local residents lending their labor.

Holden and co-owner Gerard Juste bought the deli, which has been around for about 50 years, a year and a half ago. Roebuck and others said Saturday that they have done great things with the business, including serving top-notch food and improving the property.

They've also become known in the community for their willingness to literally go the extra mile for customers. Several people recounted stories of exhausted C&O Canal bicyclists -- or some with simply flat tires -- receiving rides home or to bike shops in Brunswick , Buckeystown and Leesburg, Va., in the Kerrigan's Corner Deli van.

Several members of Point of Rocks Boy Scout Troop 279 offered support, as did an officer from the Frederick County Sheriff's Office, who spoke with neighbors about local issues.

"If these little hoodlums want to spray-paint again, we'll cover it up again," Juste said with a smile. "We have good neighbors, great neighbors, and the community is behind us 120 percent. And we have more paint than they do."

Holden said he hopes the party will show the vandals the community's unity and its disgust with this type of behavior.

As the post-painting party was winding down in the grassy yard behind the deli, Holden said he wants to make the cookout an annual gathering.

"Look at everyone here," he said. "Some of these people are neighbors and don't know each other. It's been a great way to bring people together -- make something positive out of something negative."

Detectives with the Frederick County Bureau of Investigations continue to investigate the vandalism, Cpl. Jennifer Bailey said Tuesday.

This is the second time police have been called to the business in a little more than two weeks.

Golden and Juste were assaulted during an armed robbery Aug. 28. Juste chased the robbers in his car immediately after the robbery, pursuing them despite gunfire, until he was able to get their license plate number.

Germantown residents Steven Joseph Austin, 20, Michael Antino Parada, 16, and Shahiyd Devonte Thomas, 16, and Gaithersburg resident Kevin Goncalves, 17, have been charged in the crime and are being held without bail at the Frederick County Adult Detention Center.

The robbery at Kerrigan's has been linked to an Aug. 19 robbery at the Philly's Cheesesteak Factory in Frederick , Bailey said. That investigation is continuing.

Staff writer Gina Gallucci-White contributed to this report.