Local school area cleanup

Some of the area groups here on the southside of Youngstown organized a cleanup of the area immediately surrounding a local elementary school, Taft Elementary.  I was happy to participate in this, and even ended up grilling the hot dogs for lunch. 

IMO, kids should not have to walk past deteriorating, abandones houses littered with junk, old tires, hedges so high they couldn’t see if someone is standing behind them, etc.

So, the 7th Ward Citizens Coalition organized a cleanup this past Saturday, and with the help of the Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative, Defend Youngstown, various neighborhood blockwatch groups, and others, at least 3, maybe more, abandoned houses/properties, got an outside facelift in the way of trimmed/removed hedges, garbage and old tires removed, and much more.  There are also plans to board up the windows and doors on these houses, and others.

 From what I saw at the end of the day, no child will be afraid to walk by these properties this school year.  And that, my friends, is a very good thing.  

:yay: